White Bay Park And cows trod on thickened sand, Bow their heads beneath the sun. It’s as if this summer was planned, With days that cannot be done. That sun implores, infects my sight, Surges fire through greying sea, Through my heart and through the night, Perennial, I am allowed to be. Could I spend … Read more
Advent We have endured long in the dark. It is a burden (A magic? A madness?) particular To us. Long endurance of darkness is not light, But speaks of a belief that light’s radiance Merits enduring long in the dim we know— In the dusk we are. The world is a bone Full of Christ-marrow; … Read more
Formation of a Young Irish Intellectual after Nazim Hikmet You will go far young person if as soon as you enter this building you follow standard operating procedures and stop thinking altogether. We will do the thinking for you. For the more intellectually curious of you this will be as difficult initially as nailing yourself … Read more
The Bridge After Meryon Bridge of Be-ing, all arches mirrrored upon The river running – Heraclitean ; Looming above… turret trumpeting, All Barnonial excess, pure 19th century. And aligned in sheer proximity the great monolith Of glass and concrete, its emphasis Presenting a sheer 20th century existentialism. Seen from the quays, it’s pure Baudelaire! The … Read more
Uaigneas (Dán do m’athair) Crows befriend the bread-handed boy, Squawk and battle for a bite. Metro wires hiss and wheeze, Spite the hills and sun-soaked fields. New York blinks its bloodshot stare, Recalling you and I were there. From azure deli doors, Whiffs of baking bread Flirt with slow-cook sunburn. But now I can be … Read more
Last Breath of Leaves Cup a pear, hear it abscise, number the days until ripe; the river chuckles with swollen pride – back to a ditch by six, drained away to the scaly, selfish sea. At dawn there’s steam across the water, a cloud of egrets scuds over; old and waiting, mud for water, leaves … Read more
The Candidate Explains after Charlotte Nichols MP I didn’t know the meaning of “incursion” or “dealt with” the negative connotation until this morning. Didn’t realise the possible definitions of “parasite”, “rubbish dump”, “bad human material”. Didn’t know until this morning the connotations of “dismantle”, “pikey”, “assimilate”. The negative meanings of “scum”, “child thief”, “branding iron”. … Read more
live long enuff yoolsee enuff war – yool think this is not what life is for – yool feel all the feels feasibly feelable – yoolbee both heart sleeve-able and heart konseelable… live long enuff yoolhear enuff bang – yool vibe off protest songs yoor parents sang – yoolyawn at the yarns elected folk spin … Read more
Memorial to Myself I have been away toasting tables lined with the pricier variety of imbecile; humouring old buzzards in Aran sweaters and cranky caps until their sweaters collapsed threadbare off their bastard backs. I have cut ribbons for guys floating balloons across the town square and calling it dance. I have eaten with people … Read more
Irish Rail Dublin, that old whore, with her piss -stained pavements Abruptly transforms into a woman of a certain station. Such are the, at once, brutal and subtle shifts where In an instant, Hell aligns in an altogether strict Congruence… Like when you climb aboard The final commuter train of the week on a Friday … Read more