Aibreán, 1912

Doireann Ní Ghríofa

Ar a shlí chuig suíomh an longbháite,

chonaic an Captaen de Carteret an cnoc oighir úd

trína dhéshúiligh. Ba léir go raibh an dochar déanta

cheana féin, an fhianaise soiléir:

stríoc fhada dhearg ar imeall an chnoic bháin,

scréach i bpéint.

B’in an marc a scaoil an scéal don Chaptaen,

chomh soiléir le teacht dheirge an dá néal

le breacadh an lae. Bhí an cnoc oighir mar a bheadh

laoch éigin as finscéal, fámaire fir tar éis treasruathar,

ag bacadaíl leis go himeall pháirc an áir, le scairt fola

óna thaobh, áit ar buaileadh é le rinn claímh, agus

le gach sleaschéim agus leathchéim, an laoch ard

ag claochlú, ag lagú. Chomh hársa

leis na sean-déithe, saolaíodh an sliabh oighir sin

le réim farónna na hÉigipte. Ginte sa Ghraonlainn

de chríonsneachta is oighear, scortha ó ghreim a mháthar-

oighearshruth chuig lapadaíl fhuar thaoidí an Aigéin Artaigh,

sceitheadh é, scaoileadh le sruth, go dtí an oíche gur chas sé

ar an long. Greadadh in éadan a chéile iad, ach lean sé

ar a shlí gan breathnú siar. Laistigh de chúpla bliain,

bhí seisean imithe leis, gan fágtha ina dhiaidh

ach spreachall fionnuisce breac le móilíní péinte

dearga scaipthe, scaoilte i sáile an aigéin.

Deirtear nach ann do uisce nua, go bhfuil an t-uisce

céanna de shíor ar fhéith-bhogadh timpeall orainn: ag leá,

ag reo, ag imeacht go haer, cosúil leis na héin, cosúil

linn féin, ár n-anam de shíor ag rince idir talamh is spéir.

Poetry Ireland Review Issue 120:

Edited by Vona Groarke

Vona Groarke's final issue as editor is packed with new poems from leading contemporary poets, including Simon Armitage, Sinéad Morrissey, Colette Bryce, Paul Muldoon, Sean O'Brien and Caitríona O'Reilly. Books reviewed include new work from Derek Mahon, Bernard O'Donoghue, Rita Ann Higgins, Martina Evans, Denise Riley and the 2016 Forward Prize winner Vahni Capildeo. The centrepiece of the issue is an interview with Paul Muldoon in which the Armagh maestro shares his thoughts on subjects as diverse as public surveillance, the economic down-turn, and the exclamation mark. The cover image is by photographer Justyna Kielbowicz, and the issue also contains award-winning artwork from Sven Sandberg, Aoife Dunne, Jane Rainey, and Michelle Hall. Instead of an editorial, Vona herself answers the questionnaire she put to the contributors of Poetry Ireland Review Issue 118: The Rising Generation.