Subjectivity

Laura Webb

I liked the way you said Battle of the Boyne

and how you knew who the relevant Kings were

and how when you pronounced their names

they came out of your mouth in italics.

And I liked how Drogheda was twinned with Salinas

in California, and told you about María of the same name

and how she was one of the most loyal friends

to Catherine of Aragon whilst she waited for Henry to love her

or so history records. And on nights like this

I like to think of all the twin towns out under their various

moons, communicating in secret tones, attending

language schools, and of Drogheda seen from space,

much the same as Drogheda seen from space

four hundred years ago, should anyone have noticed.

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.