Friday, February 19, 2010

a corruption of influences

*gone to mrs. basil's files
Brigindo said...

"novels line like white teeth in my mouth"

I absolutely love it.

if American homes were cluttered with all that clutters you, we'd be a richer nation.

Annie said...

Hi Maggie,
I find power and truth in this poem, especially the third stanza and the closing stanza, and these lines: "novels line like white teeth in my mouth," and "these are not just quotes." I appreciate the house analogy, being cluttered from attic to garage, basement to cabinet; echoed in the closing lines: "I am rooftop to slate floor a corruption of influences." I'll be reading this poem again and again.

Still Life With Coffee said...

Every line in this poem... from the very first one to the very last... I'm nodding...yes.
And this one:
life burdens me greatly. i am blessed beyond reason.
oh my...yes

Lacey said...

i am dancing: of course this world's a stage.

there are two hundred thread count sheets

and

a hundred kind of grasses in North America.

life burdens me greatly. i am blessed beyond reason.

Omigosh, Maggie. You take my breath away.

mrs.notouching said...

I was hooked from the first line.

Captain Dumbass said...

"The sun rises in the cotton of my daughter's hair." Favourite line.

* said...

This poem is blazing, a recount in ways, maybe, of the American dream gone bad (or just real in every sense):

"the phone book keeps hundreds of different
people, all with the same name."

and

"subsets of niches, two hundred stitches..."

Perfect, sublime.

The ironies you list, each one is a core of truth, captivating.

Elizabeth said...

How do you do this?

A.Smith said...

Thank you. I wish I could hug you too.

Anonymous said...

Expressive and powerful Maggie. You covered everything! Loved it.

Beth said...

Life = conflicting emotions & desires and contradictions.
You’ve captured this.

E said...

Your poetry is better than anything I can find in books.

Unknown said...

There are so many influences...so many choices and scars and joys, it's a wonder anything can ever be simple at all.

Lola Sharp said...

oh Maggie,
you knocked me on my ass with this one.

the power, truth and imagery radiates off my screen and holds me captive, renders me paralyzed.

love
lola

saracita said...

This is perfect! I also love the house with the light on, on the left.

Kass said...

This is an incredible poem. You are abundant.

Amy said...

Are you getting your poetry published in literary journals? If not, you should be. This is a really well-crafted poem. I love the line from which the title is taken, "I am a corruption of influences"

Ms. Moon said...

You see with your fingers. And we benefit.

Rianna said...

Dear Maggie, I remain a devoted reader. So much beauty here. So much beauty.
Thankyou. Rianna

Only A Girl said...

Beautiful. I'll definitely be coming back for more.

jennifer said...

I almost didn't scroll back to this. so glad I did. fabulous bit!

Mwa said...

still i believe i am a foreigner here

- lovely.

Woman in a Window said...

You
are a real writer.
But then again
I'm not saying anthing new.
I come to you
when I need a good book.

xo
erin

Lora said...

"there are two hundred thread count sheets"

I've recently found that upgrading to 400 count makes the rest seem a little easier to take.

Rounds out the edges, as it were.

Provides a smoother gliding surface, less chafing, a bit of luxury no one else has a chance to enjoy quite the same way I can.

Ellen said...

When you write with that power it must flow like pure water...yet thick like molasses...amazing!

Terri said...

goddess.

Phoenix said...

"life burdens me greatly. i am blessed beyond reason."

I know exactly how that feels. Sometimes the burdens are the blessing...sometimes the blessings are the burdens. Sometimes you feel like you could take flight at the exact same time you feel chained down to the ground.

This is life, this is the adventure of it, the comedy and tragedy of it all.

Keep living your way into the answers.

julie. said...

love this.

Unknown said...

oh.
wow.

I don't know what to say. Thank you?

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