AI (1947-2010)

AI,Florence Anthony,american-indian black poet and femeist

AI,MEANING LOVE IN JAPANESE,THE POET AND A STRONG FEMENIST BEAT ,DIES AT AGE 62.

"EVEN MY NAME SUGGESTED WINGS

WICKER CAGES FLIGHT..."

SHE WAS BORN FLORENCE ANTHONY,1947 IN ALBANY TEXAS,AND RAISED IN TUSCON,ARIZONA.PROFESSOR AI DIED MARCH 21,2010 IN STILLWATER,OK.

OTHER THAN HER JAPANESE HERITAGE ,BLACK AND IRISH BLOOD,SHE IS A MEMBER OF CHOCTAW-CHIKASAW NATION,AND CHEYENNE,COMANCHE.

AI ONCE SAID:

"ALL WOMEN-ALL HUMAN."

HER BOOKS OF POETRY ARE:

CRUELTY,1973

KILLING FLOOR,'79

SIN,'86

FATE,'91

GREED,'93

VICE,'99

DREAD,2003

*WOMAN TO MAN

a poem by ai:

LIGHTNING HIT THE ROOF

SHOVE THE KNIFE,DARKNESS

DEEP IN THE WALLS.

THEY BLEED LIGHT ALL OVER US

AND YOUR FACE,THE FAN,FOLD UP

SO,I WON'T SEE HOW AFRAID

TO BE WITH ME YOU ARE.

WE DON'T MIX EVEN IN BED

WHERE WE KEEP ENDING UP.

THERE'S NO NEED TO HIDE IT.

YOU 'RE SNOW,I'M COAL

I'VE GOT THE SCARS TO PROVE IT.

BUT OPEN YOUR MOUTH

I'LL GIVE YOU A TASTE OF BLACK

YOU WON'T FORGET.

FOR A WHILE,I'LL LET IT MAKE YOU STRONG

MAKE YOUR HEART LION

THEN I'LL TAKE IT BACK.

--fs