In this sonnet by Raleigh poet Al Maginnes, he explores the writing life in a loving and humorous way
by Al Maginnes | illustration by Laura Wall

Al Maginnes is the author of fourteen collections of poetry, most recently Fellow Survivors: New and Selected Poems (Redhawk Publications, 2023). He is retired from teaching at Wake Technical Community College and lives in Raleigh. “I’ve been fascinated by the sonnet form since I began writing poems, and ‘Literature’ was one of a series of sonnet stanzas I wrote as part of what I hope will be a group of poems that discuss the writing life in a loving and sometimes humorous way.”

Laura Wall is the creative director of WALTER magazine who won her first art competition at age six and has led her life in search of creative pursuits. She has always lived in the deep South — Georgia, North Carolina… and the southeast of the United Kingdom. Laura is a classically trained graphic designer and has created and launched numerous nationally award-winning magazines prior to joining WALTER in 2017. She enjoys working in the community as a board member and volunteer.

This article originally appeared in the April 2025 issue of WALTER magazine.