The Earth is a living thing by Lucille Clifton. The Earth is a living thing. Is a black, shambling bear, ruffling its wild back and tossing mountains into the sea. Is a black hawk circling the barian ground, circling the bones, picked clean and discarded. Is a fish black blind in the belly of water. Is a diamond blind in the black belly of coal. Is a black and living thing. Is a favorite child of the universe. Feel her rolling her hand in its kinky hair. Feel her brushing it clean.