my dream about being white

In “my dream about being white,” the speaker, presumably an avatar for Clifton herself, describes a dream about being white, as the title suggests. The first line “hey music” (Line 1) suggests she is surprised. The interjection “hey” (Line 1) establishes a colloquial vernacular, suggesting an intimate connection with the reader. It may also imply that the speaker is addressing herself because her tone is so informal and intimate. The next lines “me / only white” (Lines 2-3) establish the conceit of the poem and inform the reader that the speaker of the poem is not white in real life but only in her dream. The next part of the poem reveals how the speaker feels about the appearance of white women as contrasted with the appearance of Black women: “perfect / line of a nose” (Lines 6-7) suggests that the speaker views traditionally “white” (Line 3) features as being more “perfect” (Line 6) than those of African American features. Next the speaker describes more about her “white” (Line 3) appearance.

It is significant, though, that her language is privative; she addresses not what her “white” (Line 10) self has, but rather what her white self lacks.