homage to my hips Themes
Appearances
Any time you've got a poem about a body part, chances are that you're going to be reading quite a bit about what that part looks like and how it moves in the world. As "homage to my hips" proves, t...
Women and Femininity
Let's face it: women face some pretty serious (and seriously damaging) cultural pressures to be skinnier, to "fit" into an idealized notion of beauty or a new pair of skinny jeans. Clifton's poem i...
Sexuality and Sexual Identity
There's a reason that Clifton doesn't pen an ode to her elbow or her armpit. Don't get us wrong – they may be pretty amazing, as far as elbows and armpits go. We're just saying that choosing...
Strength and Skill
It's a little strange for us to insist that a poem about hips would be about strength, right? Bear with us, though – these hips aren't just strong gluts and quads. Oh, no. They're a symbol of...