Thursday, December 10, 2009

Margin Notes

You said I ought to edit myself
            I tore my dress: comma-sized/black.


You said to prune my brainy flights
            I chopped my hair until it stood twig-like on my skull


You said I should delete wasteful adjectives
            I smiled brightly as I crossed out your note


You said I best purge the literal
            I swallowed Pound’s bough. Its rotted petals reconstructing


in my throat

7 comments:

gerry boyd said...

now, now. you're getting yourself all worked up.

Megan Duffy said...

Ha. I am, as they say, "laughing out loud."

Jon said...

don't listen to the editors... most of them are just bitter because they couldn't make it as a writer!

oh... and don't edit anything in your life because of what someone else said (not that i take everything i see written as literal or non fiction)... just saying...

:)

Jennifer Walkup said...

Love it! Fun!

Megan Duffy said...

Thanks folks. This was written in the voice of a 19 year old (former me) sitting in a New School poetry workshop.

Very silly.

Jenny said...

I really like the structure. The lines jump out at me and echo in my mind. Very nice poem.

Peter Greene said...

that is straight heavy metal poetry: badwang! barrang! I pity the fool...


Now I have to go look up Ezra there; have forgotten all about him even if I ever read anything of his. Sigh. Research. Good thing I like it and have treats to enjoy during.