I See Her

Wendy Holborow

I see her through a cubist’s eye

chiselled planes & angles mingle in black & white

disentangled, broken up & rearranged

in geometric form.

I see her through an impressionist’s eye

rapid dabs of paint, dots, distorted,

sparkling patches of light & colour –

incandescent.

I see her through a miniaturist’s eye

minute, modelled like a doll held in the palm

of a hand, such infinite patience,

dexterous.

I see her through a surrealist’s eye

confusion, un-recognisable in shape or form,

her reality disguised in the triptych mirror of art –

instinctive.

I see her through an icon painter’s eye

dark image illumed by silver & gold, a halo

above her head, so exquisite it is considered

acheiropoieta.

I see her through a portrait painter’s eye

perfect in every detail as she gazes

out of the canvas of imperfection, her inner essence,

unveiled,

a slight smile, gentle contentment,

no smudges of a dark fanciful world apparent in

her reasoned demeanour as she sits,

poses.

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.