Cross Tie 6.1.15: Maureen Alsop

... Though you are out now among the hyacinth-moths, 
a flicker of late embers between earth’s symmetry 
of shade and song—the seam between slight vibrations 
of chatter. I have carried you in dream.

                                                    From Maureen Alsop's Gnosis:

There is something magical, ethereal, about reading Maureen Alsop. Her words carry you toward the unexpected, and then suddenly you can’t breathe, or you’re breathing water. Even her prose is like silk tugged through a closed fist. She is also a wonderful collagist, and has done some gorgeous collaborative work, in particular her work with poet Hillary Gravendyk. Of all the poets I've read in recent years, Maureen has done the most to open my work to the possibilities of language.

Maureen is an assistant editor for Poemeleon: A Journal of Poetry, a journal I founded in 2005, has led workshops for Inlandia, The Rooster Moans Poetry Cooperative, is author of four collections of poetry, and too many chapbooks to count. In addition, she is the recipient of numerous prizes including the Tony Quagliano International Poetry Award (Hawai‘i Council for the Humanities), Harpur Palate’s Milton Kessler Memorial Award in Poetry, Bitter Oleander's Frances Locke Memorial Award in Poetry, Eleventh Muse Poetry Prize, and six Pushcart nominations.

-- Cati Porter, Poet of the Week

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