Hard Chaw

Eithne Hand

Harry was her fellah

but only cos she said so.

Too scared to refuse,

he walked her home;

promised to sit with her

at the Saturday game.

They met at half past,

walked with the crowd

to the grassy goal end,

bumping shoulders

just a little too often.

If he had to kiss her

it would be his first.

At half time he heard

her whisper low

he loves me / he loves me not.

Surprised, he leaned in,

then saw her bitten fingers

slowly pulling the legs

from a living spider.

Poetry Ireland Review Issue 121:

Edited by Eavan Boland

Eavan Boland's first issue as editor of Poetry Ireland Review aims to encourage a conversation about poetry which is 'noisy and fractious certainly ... but a conversation nevertheless that can be thrilling in its reach and commitment'. There are new poems from Thomas McCarthy, Jean Bleakney, Wendy Holborow, Paul Perry, Aifric Mac Aodha, and many others, while the issue also includes work from Brigit Pegeen Kelly, with an accompanying essay on the poet by Eavan Boland. Eavan Boland also offers an introduction to the work of poet Solmaz Sharif, while there are reviews of the latest books from Simon Armitage, Peter Sirr, Lo Kwa Mei-en, and Vona Groarke, among others. PIR 121 also includes Theo Dorgan's elegiac tribute to his friend John Montague – a canonical poet, in contrast to the emerging poets Susannah Dickey, Conor Cleary and Majella Kelly, who contribute new work and will also read for the Poetry Ireland Introductions series as part of ILFD 2017.