Maggie Gordon lived on top of the hill
in a house shuttered from the sky
No visitors darkened her door
and only one person knew just why
No lawyer would take her case
of the murder of Mr. Dean
The DA vowed to avenge his friend
who lost his life there on the green
In the land of forgotten memories
and outright stolen lies
The county judge issued a warrant
Maggie had no valid alibi
Witnesses' sworn testimonies
painted a dark forbiding tale
Of a burning love affair
and of passion that grew stale
Then the hardware storekeeper
said he sold Maggie a knife
The same one found at the murder scene
the DA proved she took Dean's life
On that day of sentencing
after Maggie lost her case
She pulled down her silken scarf
and showed her red-bare scar on her face
Some say it was Mr. Dean
who cut her in a rage
Some said it came from a former love
when she tried to turn that page
Forsaken by all that knew her
while years in her prison cell
The true story behind the murder
not a soul she'd ever tell
I've been spending my drive times with Bob Dylan with a sprinkling of Leonard Cohen for much of the summer. I ask of anyone that comments to help me out and offer up a poet or writer to help expand my universe. I trust my regular readers and I thank you in advance for the help (I could use some lately.)
Linked at Poets and Storytellers United, Writers' Pantry #43: Sunday Morning Cereal
Grab an issue of "Blue Highways" by Wm. Least Heat Moon, and travel the states with him in his tricked out VW. Great diversion!! A guy kind of book.
ReplyDeleteBlue Highways is an old favourite of mine, even though (or perhaps because) I am unlikely to experience those places any other way. Really I love it for the beautiful writing.
DeleteThank you, Beverly. I will definitely check it out.
DeleteWhat a story poem this is .... a bit of everything in it. So much fun to read.
ReplyDeleteI agree.
DeleteThank you, Helen and Jenna. I've been working on story-verse pieces lately and I'm glad you liked this.
DeleteSounds like an interesting case for some true crime reporter! So much more to Maggie's story.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lisa. Maggie's house burned down but maybe there's something to find in the ashes.
DeleteWhat a great story of Maggie Gordon. It was probably best for her to keep quiet about what happened otherwise the sentence may have been longer.
ReplyDeleteHa! Perhaps you're right, Robin. Thanks for the thought.
DeleteIt does have the feel of an old-school story song. I'd love to hear it set to guitar.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rommy. Someday the chords will come along and this may fit together. I appreciate your kind thoughts.
DeleteAh, you are poet and storyteller in one!
ReplyDeleteYou've got Dylan and Cohen and still you crave others? Myself, I could listen to Blues all day. I joined Amazon Music and they put together a new playlist or me every week. Tell them your tastes and they'll do something for you. But you asked for poets and writers rather than songsters. Someone recently reminded me of the wonderful Wendell Berry, whose work I want to explore more. I also love e.e. cummings. Another American whose work I only discovered recently, whom I think you might like, is William Stafford.
I couldn't live without Bob and when I first heard "The Partisan" by Cohen, I was hooked.
DeleteAs for your suggestions: Wendell Berry could be a distant cousin. His being a farmer, well, I have to dig deeper.
I always stumble across quotes by e.e. cummings and now will read more than just a few lines at a time.
I just read "Ask Me" by Stafford and that hit pretty close to where I'm at right now.
Thank you so much, Rosemary.
I feel for her. Solitary people rarely get the best of treatments from those around them, from those who have probably constructed her entire life story in their heads. Perhaps she's right, and there there is no point on saying a thing to anyone. But I still wonder if speaking might not help...
ReplyDeleteI really like listening to poetry and short story podcasts. My latest favorite for poetry is Poem-a-Day (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/poem-a-day/id1497937744); the poetry is fresh and the readers versatile. On the in print poetry reading prompt, I've been re-reading the collected poems of Jorge Luis Borges and the poems of Edgar Allan Poe.
I almost forgot, have you read The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate – Discoveries from a Secret World, by Peter Wohlleben? It's one of my favorite non-fiction books. Give it a go, if you've yet to read it. Something tells me you might enjoy it.
DeleteThank you. Magaly. I agree about the solitary life. We may meet up with Maggie again someday.
DeleteThanks for your suggestions. I'm not as familiar with Borges and I found that Poe's essays and critiques of other poets very interesting.
I've heard of the "Secret Life of Trees" but now I'll get a copy.
Your suggestions are appreciated. Thanks