After Achnasheen

In his wonderful poem, Achnasheen, Pearse Hutchinson addresses the anglicisation of gaelic placenames. Speaking of Achnasheen in Ross-shire, Scotland, he says,

‘Is isn’t Gaelic any more. It could never be English.
Despite the murderous maps,
despite the bereft roadsigns,
despite the casual distortions of illiterate scribes,
the name remains beautiful. A maimed beauty.’

And sure enough they are still beautiful as I hope this “poem”, a selection of placenames on the island of Ireland, demonstrates.

After Achnasheen

Ballydehob Kilmacow Kiltyclogher

Cong Shanagolden Glencree

Gouganne Barra Kilbrickan Knocknagoshel

Cong Belturbet Lisnaskea

Ballycumber Ballyvourney Killargue

Toomevara Ardglass Timoleague

Labasheeda Lismore Glenamaddy

Goleen Tubbercurry Athleague

Kanturk Kilaloe Toormakeady

Rush Keshcarrigan Kilmovee

Termonfeckin Tarmonbarry Dualla

Skeheenarinky Cleggan Kilkee

Final Breath

Final Breath

      in memory of  Pearse Hutchinson

In that last moment your breath halted in your mouth;
the air teetered on  your tongue; on last taste perhaps.

Death flew across the room, your eyes followed it,
leaving us, exiting through then walls.

Vivaldi played on, 
emerged from behind your troubled breathing.

For that few moments,
baroque splendour was your breath condensing around us.

Yesterday

Almost a year to the day since I visited Pearse Hutchinson in St James Hospital and found him in great form. He talked  about a nurse he met on his ward; I said he should write the poem; he said he was old and needed to rest that I should  write it.That was our last conversation.

Yesterday

 

A poem

you said I should write. 

An African nurse on your ward,

born the day after her  grandmother died,

called Yesterday. 

She was gone as soon,

nurses from the agency come and go;

good relationships are important

for the patients, you explained. 

And now you are gone;

is this that poem?

Slimming for the Beach

Thanks to Philip Casey for plugging this blog on his own blog "Slimming for the Beach". Here's the link: http://blog.philipcasey.com/
Saw Philip on Friday night at an 80th Birthday Symposium celebrating the poetry of Pearse Hutchinson.Interesting to hear, at one point, many of the poets in attendance described as belonging to a subculture that produced a less hard, less academicized brand of poetry than that which followed.