I Am Both Woman and Child, Both Tame and Wild: A Collection of Poems, Illustrations and Reflections

By Maggie Maze

This book collectively presents an array of topics from my life experiences as a girl growing up in the Midwest to becoming a mature older woman in the age of social media. As both illustrator and writer I enjoy presenting an image with a brief story or verse.

Many years ago my parents asked me to design a Christmas card. This is where it all started. Hand-made Christmas cards expanded into other modern American holidays, such as Halloween. Halloween is a favorite of mine as it offers up so much eerily fun for the old and young alike. This is why this collection consists of youthful poems reminiscing of childhood experiences in family and holiday themes as well as poems catering to adults about desire, love, loss and other mature themes.

Some poems were written prior to an illustration accompanying them while other illustrations were drawn first with a poem following. Some poems have no illustration at all for example, the poem, “The Hot Bartender” was inspired by viewing an iconic tv show and begs you to imagine what he looks like as I purposely did not include an illustration.

This collection includes a passion that embodies a sense of style and fashion in the clothes design some characters wear. “Dressed in the finest silk, velvet and plaid, she’s a sight of breathtaking beauty and style”, is described in the poem, “Celtic Lass in Irish Couture”. Each one of us embodies our own sense of style. Reflections of style, life experiences and how I perceive the world around me can be found in this book. May this collection find you reminiscing about delightful memories and take you to a place of calm reflection.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9781665505345

Maggie Maze

“Maggie Maze”, aka Margaret Campbell was born in Detroit, MI and now resides in Howell, MI. A middle child, number 5 of 10 children, she found contentment in drawing, as parental attention was spread out, among her many siblings. After graduating from Marian High School, she attended Eastern Michigan University and went on to study at The Center For Creative Studies in Detroit. Margaret enjoys and is inspired by fashion which is reflected in many of her illustrations. As both illustrator and writer she presents an image with a brief story or verse. One drawing or “pose” can be changed into numerous themes; from a Halloween illustration to Christmas and then to St. Patrick’s Day. Many of her designs have been applied to numerous products including greeting cards, magnets, bookmarks and gift bags with gift tags. In writing, she expresses various emotions: from a romantic perch, she writes poems of love. One can feel her anxiety in her poem, “Coronavirus; Days of Uncertainty”, to her playful side in “The Hot Bartender”, and in her poem, “I Am” she attempts to find descriptions of her existential place in the universe. “Passionless”, was written about the end of a marriage. All these are reflections of her experiences and yearning, of finding one’s place and of just being. Her large family has inspired her over the years as well as her children and now her grandchildren.

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