Pavement

I

Maple leaves on  O’Connell Bridge

Floating down the Liffey 

Red hand of Ulster 

Three crowns of Munster 

Feathers flickering

one Seagull under lights

It’s not late enough to fall in the river.  

II

Tired grey beard 

losing the colour of life

Flat cap, caipín 

Breasts striding by

Brown Thomas bag 

with a black umbrella 

coming from Grafton street. 

Luas bell warning 

Time to get a move on before it’s too late. 

Long hair flapping 

on Dawson Street, 

out west violent wind.

Trail finders walking by

“Injury Time” on display

“Wolf Man and Water-Hounds”

“Have you seen the Dublin vampire?”

a window for browsing readers. 

Another bell, another Luas, 

that soft strong wind. 

III

Carluccio’s is not the best place to be cremated.

Plastic flower 

in an extra dry Prosecco bottle,

white King Protea facing the door. 

Crema, a thimble of hot water

diluting its bitter companion.

witness the knife and fork 

slice an almond croissant

scattering icing sugar. 

Cool in the mouth.

“Thank you very much”

to a Palestinian smile, 

a time for thinking, 

alone in company 

with an afternoon snack .

Cutlery crashing,  

any second now,

settle the bill.

— There may be time to die .

Mobile writing

The pen is an engine for driving words.

Words come wrapped in swaddling clothes.

Words are units of time.

Sentences are sentences

I have been sentenced to write.

How does an Unbeliever pray?

Not on my knees with head all bound in thorns,
not in a pew prostrate before a god,
not stooped, nor bent, a sinner supplicant,
a poor unworthy man afraid to say:
Like as the eagle soars astride the wind,
like as the river flows from spring to sea,
like as erratic stands upright and firm,
a worthy creature proud to stride the land.

No more a child beset with guilt and shame,
but grown attentive to the joy of light,
humble as dust and underwhelmed by night,
a star that shines and whispers love to all.

We move in prayer, our talent in our verse,
we celebrate in time the universe.

Mysteries of the Universe

 

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Mysteries of the Universe

Joyful Mysteries
Whose is the sweetest song?
What makes time tick?
When will insight beckon?
How does the Universe celebrate?
Where shall I find my better self?

Sorrowful Mysteries
How have  tears cleaned hungering hearts?
What will expire without experience?
What is hardship hiding from?
Who has evolved from sorrow?
When will my beginning end?

Glorious  Mysteries
How immense is the imagination of being?
How wide is the width of the world?
How real is the resurrection from eternity?
How long will happiness happen?
Where is my land of the living breath?