my dream about being white

By Lucille Clifton

hey music and
me
only white,
hair a flutter of
fall leaves
circling my perfect
line of a nose,
no lips,
no behind, hey
white me
and i’m wearing
white history
but there’s no future
in those clothes
so i take them off and
wake up
dancing.

Lucille Clifton, “my dream about being white” from Next. Copyright © 1987 by Lucille Clifton. BOA Editions Ltd., www.boaeditions.org.