Giorria ag an Gheata

Philip Cummings

Líne luachmhar, breactha ar phár
– roinn B9, carrchlós fadtéarmach gorm –
níl tóraíocht taisce ar charr de dhíth
ar fhilleadh ó thír na cáise dom.

Déanaim turas an chairr roimh imeacht,
deiseal, mar is cuí de réir na scríbhinní.
Athdhruidim an cófra druidte go gcuirim
giorria ársa na hÉireann ar a ghrot romham.

Níor amharc sé orm ach taibhsíodh dom
imir de mhearbhall sa leathshúil fhaiteach.
“Tá Teamhair ina féar,” ar seisean thar fhocail,
“ach níl ag croí na tíre áit a leagfadh sé a cheann.”

Níor thug mé freagra; ní raibh freagra agam.
Ag an gheata bordála dom,
bhí seacht gcraiceann an ghiorria faram go fóill.
Thug mé liom a chumha, is a chuid filíochta

Page 56, Poetry Ireland Review Issue 134 – Sold out
Issue 134 – Sold out

Poetry Ireland Review Issue 134 – Sold out:

Edited by Colette Bryce

Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin, William Keohane, Gabriel Rosenstock, Alvy Carragher, Greta Stoddart, and Ciaran Berry are just some of the poets publishing new work in Poetry Ireland Review 134, edited by Colette Bryce. The issue also contains reviews of 18 recent titles, including the latest from Michael Longley, Martina Evans, Rachel Long, Supriya Kaur Dhaliwal, Matthew Rice, Doireann Ní Ghríofa, and Moya Cannon's Collected Poems.

Tríona Ní Shíocháin contributes an essay, 'Foremothers', a revelatory account of a "hidden history ... of women’s oral poetic traditions", excerpted from A History of Irish Women's Poetry; Ben Keatinge looks at the sonnet – a form defined by Harry Clifton in Trumpet 8 as the 'pocket masterpiece' – from an Irish perspective; and Tom French pays tribute to the late and great Belfast maestro, Ciaran Carson.

'Singles Archive' is the title of the cover image, by Colin Martin, who provides all of the superb artwork for this issue of Poetry Ireland Review.