Irish Writing: Paul ├У Colm├бin

L├б ‘le Bhr├нde

Dh├║isigh an ghrian sinn
an mhaidin ├║d,
solas ├│rga
ag stealladh
‘is ag scairdeach
isteach ar an url├бr,
ag slaparnach
thuas na falla├н,
ag sruthla├нonn
an doras s├нor-oscailte isteach.

N├нor thuigeamar
ar dt├║s
cad a bh├н ag titim amach.
N├нor aithn├нomar
torann bu├н na Gr├йine.
Ach chuimhn├нos
go tobann ar na bhfocail a d├║ra├нs,
mar draoi:

“Tiocfaidh an Ghrian thar nais ar L├б ‘le Bhr├нde.”

Agus d’├бrdaigh d├│chas,
├бrsa, pag├бnaigh im’ chro├н,
in├бr su├н sa leaba,
Br├нd n├│ Dan├║,
an l├бmh in uachtar ag an tEarrach,
bh├н an Geimhreadh, gruama caite.

“Tiocfaidh an Ghrian thar nais ar L├б ‘le Bhr├нde.”

St.Brigid’s Day

The sun awoke us.
Like a fanfare
or a burst of wild laughter.
Playfully.
Unfamiliar.

Spilling in along the floor.
Splashing up the walls.
Streaming in through the always-open door.
We didn’t - at first-  know what was happening,
Didn’t recognise the bright clamour of the sun.
Then we remembered the words
That you, druidlike, had spoken:

“The Sun will come back on St.Brigid’s Day.”

And a welling of Hope,
Pagan and Pure,
Came rising inside us,
Sitting in bed,
Brigid or Dan├║,
The Winter defeated:

“The Sun will come back on St.Brigid’s Day.”


Bio
Paul ├У Colm├бin

Paul ├У Colm├бin lives and works in West Cork,Ireland. He was a winner of the inaugural Poet’s Podium, 1995 run by Samhla├нocht Chiarra├н and is a regular contributor of poems in both Irish and English to journals and anthologies both in Ireland and abroad. He was selected for the Poetry Ireland Introductions Series 2017.
He is a musician, songwriter and visual artist and runs Working Artist Studios in Skibbereen, which presents exhibitions, poetry evenings, an annual Poetry Marathon and other art events.
www.paulocolmain.com

Irish Writing :: Table of Contents, May 2017