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Coal Lyrics by Audre Lorde

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I
is the total black
being spoken
from the earth's inside.
There are many kinds of open
how a diamond comes
into a knot of flame
how sound comes into a word
colored
by who pays what for speaking.

Some words are open
diamonds on a glass window
singing out within the crash
of passing sun
other words are stapled wagers
in a perforated book
buy and sign and tear apart
and come whatever wills all chances
the stub remains
an ill-pulled tooth
with a ragged edge.

Some words live in my throat
breeding like adders
others
know sun
seeking like gypsies
over my tongue
to explode through my lips
like young sparrows
bursting from shell.

Some words
bedevil me.

Love is a word, another kind of open.
As a diamond comes
into a knot of flame
I am Black
because I come from the earth's inside
take my word for jewel
in the open light.

About “Coal” by Audre Lorde

Read the complete lyrics to "Coal" by Audre Lorde. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Literature.

"Coal" is performed by Audre Lorde. This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Coal", explore more songs by Audre Lorde using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Audre Lorde · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Coal" is credited to Audre Lorde. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

Album information for "Coal" is not available in our database yet. You can still read the full lyrics on this page.

Visit the Audre Lorde artist page at /artist/audre-lorde for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.


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