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 to focus on her speaker's hips allows Clifton to work with (and against) a whole slew of cultural notions that equate a woman's curves (i.e., her hips) with her sexuality. Clifton makes direct reference to the ways that her speaker's hips draw men to her like candy.
Questions About Sexuality and Sexual Identity
- How do the speaker's hips symbolize her sexuality?
- How would you describe the sexuality expressed in this poem?
- Do you think that the speaker's sexual identity is a healthy one? Why or why not?
- Why do you think the speaker is able to "spin" a man "like a top"?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
The speaker's sexual power has nothing to do with her hips – it's all in her self-confidence.
The speaker accesses her sexuality through her awareness of her amazing hips.