Exploring the Poetry of Maggie Smith
The American poet Maggie Smith (born 1977) has emerged as one of the most celebrated and widely read contemporary poets, largely due to her poetry being shared extensively across social media platforms and online forums. Her approachable and conversational style invites readers into her world, fostering a sense of intimacy and trust. However, beneath this seemingly casual tone lies a meticulous artistry that characterizes Smith’s structured and thoughtful verse.
Much like the poetry of Mary Oliver, whose work resonates with themes of affirmation and resilience while not shying away from the more somber realities of life, Maggie Smith has captured the hearts of many readers who might not typically gravitate towards poetry. With this context in mind, let us delve into some of Maggie Smith’s finest poems, moving beyond those that have gone viral in recent years.
- 1. ‘How Dark the Beginning’.In this poignant poem from 2020, Smith reflects on the common association of ‘light’ with ‘goodness’ in popular culture and literature. Rather than simply embracing this notion, she invites us to consider the ‘good dark’ that marks the true onset of the day, just before dawn. This moment, often seen as ominous, can instead represent a time of potential and hope. If the darkest hour truly precedes the dawn, perhaps this darkness warrants celebration rather than fear.
- 2. ‘First Fall’.The title of this touching 2017 poem captures the essence of Smith’s experience as she introduces her young child to their first autumn. Set in the early dawn, when the stars still twinkle alongside the rising sun, the poem captures the beauty of nature and the bittersweet realization of change. As Smith points out the sycamore trees and encourages her child to listen to the crisp sounds of leaves, she is acutely aware that this moment also signifies her child’s initial encounter with the cycle of life and death.
- 3. ‘Parachute’.In this deeply moving poem, Smith explores the comforting lies we tell our children to shield them from the harsher aspects of reality. Through vivid imagery, she juxtaposes beauty with trauma, illustrating how we craft narratives to protect our loved ones. For instance, the heartbreaking event of a mother leaping from a building with her baby is transformed into a miraculous survival story in the speaker’s retelling, showcasing the lengths we go to in order to offer solace.
- 4. ‘What I Carried’.This poem echoes the sentiments found in Smith’s renowned work ‘Good Bones’, delving into her anxieties for her children amidst a tumultuous world. The poem grapples with the idea of ‘living with our fear’ as if it were a tangible entity. Through a series of stanzas that begin with the refrain ‘I carried my fear of the world’, Smith poignantly articulates the intricate relationship she maintains with her fears, transforming them into a palpable presence.
- 5. ‘Twentieth Century’.This reflective 2017 poem resonates with those who grew up at the close of the twentieth century, particularly those who romanticize the simplicity of that era. With a clever apostrophe that addresses the century as if it were a person, Smith balances nostalgia with realism, using vivid details—like the golden glow of lit windows resembling ‘yellow Rothkos on the water’—to anchor her reflections in the present.
- 6. ‘Joke’.In a complementary dialogue with ‘Twentieth Century’, ‘Joke’ examines the past through the lens of dreams and memories. Here, Smith engages with the philosophical notion that one cannot step into the same river twice, invoking Heraclitus’s wisdom while also weaving in a sense of humor and misremembering, creating a rich tapestry of thought and feeling.
- 7. ‘Voting-Machine’.Co-commissioned in 2019 as part of Project 19—a celebration of the centenary of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote in the U.S.—this poem opens with a historical context provided by a quotation from David Kindy. Smith utilizes the metaphor of a ‘Voting-Machine’ to explore the long struggle for women’s voting rights, illustrating societal changes through the mechanism of the machine, which symbolizes progress and equality.
- 8. ‘Threshold’.This brief yet powerful lyric contemplates doorways as true thresholds that separate yet connect contrasting realms. Addressing the reader directly, Smith reflects on the human desire to exist simultaneously in multiple states—‘here / and there’, ‘now and then’—capturing the complexity of our experiences and aspirations.
- 9. ‘Where Honey Comes From’.This poem captivates with Smith’s striking metaphor of a beehive as a ‘forbidden lantern / lit on the inside’. It intertwines two recurrent themes in her work: the interplay of sweetness and fear, highlighting the duality of nature and human experience in a profound way.
- 10. ‘Good Bones’.Undoubtedly one of Maggie Smith’s most recognized works, ‘Good Bones’ was first published in 2016 and encapsulates many recurring themes present in her poetry. The poem addresses the protective instincts of parents as they shield their children from life’s harsh truths. By asserting that the world is ‘at least / fifty percent terrible’, Smith acknowledges the realities of existence while simultaneously striving to offer hope, emphasizing the potential for improvement in our lives and the world around us.