T is for “Three Wishes.”

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A week or so ago I bought a copy of “Maxfield Parrish,” an early collection of poems by (total badass) Eileen Myles. They’re even better than I thought they’d be. I wanted to post “To the Maiden of Choice,” but it’s really long, and this shorter poem is really lovely and rending, too. I did type out all of “To the Maiden of Choice,” because I couldn’t find a link to it, so if you’d like to read it send me an email and I’ll send it to you. Or call me and (<3 you, Toks)  I’ll read it aloud to you.

Or buy the book. It’s bitingly, orgasmically, full-forcedly good. 

THREE WISHES

The tree shadow
is longer across
the lawn.
Longer than
when? the
last time
I sat
here. It
was earlier
in the summer
now it’s August
we go deeper
into the
year like
a knife
into an
apple
or a day
that
hurts so
much &
its beauty
is almost gone.

~ Eileen Myles

3 thoughts on “T is for “Three Wishes.””

    • Well, I looked up “badass” on urbandictionary.com, and most of the definitions are totally gender-biased. For instance: “the epitome of the American male” or an “uncommon man of supreme style.” I guess this shouldn’t have surprised me, but it did.

      Some definitions were better, like #5, which treats the word both as an adjective and as a noun: “1.Adjective: Used to describe one who totally owns who he/she is, is uninhibited in who they are and doesn’t let what other people think affect his/her actions/decisions.

      2.Noun: A person who is the best of the best at what they do professionally and/or personally. Being a Badass goes hand-in-hand with being self confident, secure and uninhibited.”

      I also like #12: “A badass knows what the fuck is up.”

      So, I’d say a badass is someone who is confident, daring, great at what they do (and at being who they are) regardless of the opinions of others and who knows what the fuck is up.

      Or something like that. Eileen Myles: all of the above.

      Reply ↓

      • Thank you for a most entertaining and informative answer. I did have a go myself at looking it up and as yet have not got to the point where ones badness or badness or bad, was combined with a bottom, a bottome presumably either of a person or of something. Else as in a bad ass, the mule type creature who indeed fits your summation, yet may have been from that attitude of may an ass, rather than a person, me thinks!?
        I will keep an eye out for better clues!
        Love Eileen Myles work. Thank you for that introduction to her as well!
        M

        Reply ↓

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