I am a huge fan of Clifton, and it was difficult to pick just one of her poems to record. What I love most about this one though, is how much she can pack in to such a small space. The short, quick lines are able to invoke the largeness, the enormity of love - and what happens when we fall out of it.

To me, the brilliant move in this poem is how Clifton is able to address the incredulity of being in love with someone, and them not loving you back. By using the idea of love for one's nation, she's able to get to this huge topic, and touches on just how unfathomable the idea of not being loved can be.