Poetry Friday: Clark Kent Writes Back

It’s time again for the Poetry Sisters’ Challenge! Here’s the scoop, via Tanita’s blog: “We’re writing back to four Lucille Clifton poems, in her notes to clark kent series: “if i should;” “further note to clark;” “final note to clark;” and “note passed to superman.” We’ll be ‘in conversation’ with Ms. Lucille’s poems – talking to them, talking back to them, or talking about them, whether that’s all of them, or any of them, either in form or in substance.”

I got really really REALLY stuck on this one. Exactly nothing useful showed up in my notebook during our 25 minute work session on Zoom last Sunday. But the magic of a shower to wash away the chlorine from my swim also unlocked the idea box. I think these responses work without reading Lucille’s poems, but just in case, take a minute to read what she said to Clark before you read what Clark wrote back.

(all four Clark Kent Writes Back poems (c) Mary Lee Hahn, 2025)

Liz @ Liz Garton Scanlon
Tanita @ {fiction, instead of lies}
Laura @ Laura Purdie Salas
Tricia @ The Miss Rumphius Effect
Sara @ Read Write Believe

Marcie has this week’s Poetry Friday Roundup at Marcie Flinchum Atkins.

18 thoughts on “Poetry Friday: Clark Kent Writes Back”

  2. Oh My Heart. These are so… well, human. And generous. Wry but also honest. Gosh, Mary Lee. I love these and the stepping down and down, the stripping away of any bravado at all….

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  3. These are wonderful…I adore how you’ve matched the conversational tone of Clifton’s poems, and especially how you’ve let Superman (so formal, so upright) morph into the more human Clark Kent by the end of the fourth poem. Glad your shower therapy worked!

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  4. Well, thanks, Cousin. Once again Himself is giving me that slightly rueful smile and half hug as I sit in bed and sniffle over poetry.

    Indeed, “please don’t stop writing” is the message we all need most to absorb. Don’t stop inhabitin the high flung, idealistic visions of equality and truth that this all started with… Because most of all that does remind us not to stop believing in ourselves.

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  5. Wow.

    “I get it. It’s bad.” This poem so reflects the moment we are living in. I appreciate Clark’s persistence and instrospection. I hope he’s got that last line right.

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  7. These are wonderful! I especially love “Please”, with its lines about “when you trust in the idea of …. you’re actually trusting in yourself”. I also love the detail of the note being on the fridge next to the Ada Limon poem. Such a treat to read!

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  9. Well, that was a shower with superpowers — you leapt tall poetic buildings and saved the day with this quartet. I love this, Mary Lee.

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  10. These are fabulous! I love how your voice (as well as Clark’s) comes through in your determination to be hopeful.

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  11. Wow, Mary Lee, you’ve given us the extra strength for using our own super powers, too, but I think you already know that. These are so clever, then pairing with Ada Limon’s words, inspiring! Thank you!

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