Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsWonderful and thought-provoking collection
Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2015
Lucille Clifton’s Mercy (2004) is a thoughtful and evocative collection that leaves the reader with more questions than answers. The four sections of poems included in the collection, while mostly cohesive in and of themselves, seem somewhat disconnected from one another upon first reading the volume. However, upon closer examination, one of the guiding threads in this collection of poetry is the notion that we are all interconnected as human beings, and, as a result, none of us (individuals, ethnic groups, countries, etc.) can claim any sort of special status. What we can do is work together, help others, and try to use whatever gifts we have for the betterment of humanity as a whole. Clifton's collection is ultimately hopeful that humanity can redeem itself. If we can learn to see beyond the obvious possibilities in ourselves and in others, if we learn to communicate creatively, and if we acknowledge that each of us is connected to everyone else in this world, we can unmake the current world and start anew
