At the Gate: Uncollected Poems 1987-2010

At the Gate gathers more than seventy previously unpublished poems by the iconic American poet Lucille Clifton, written during the final two decades of her life. Discovered in digital archives by poet and scholar Kazim Ali, these works span a deeply reflective and prolific period in Clifton’s career, as she transitioned from typewriters to word processors and desktop computers. Many of the poems were originally drafted for publication, then set aside—until now.

Edited by Kazim Ali, this collection includes a contextual foreword and detailed notes that illuminate Clifton’s late writing process and the editorial journey of these poems, offering new insight into themes that define her celebrated body of work.

At the Gate is a profound and essential addition to Clifton’s legacy—one that reaffirms her place as a poet of the body, the spirit, and enduring truth. Her voice remains as intimate, fearless, and luminous as ever.