Tinteán

TRUST

IF… THEN…ELSE
IF (true)
THEN (do this, or)
ELSE (do that).
Boolean  Logic.
Clear, precise,
no shades of grey.

so…IF that is true – 
I only have your word for it.
I trust you, but your black and white
has grey edges.  
Maybe.

But IF it is, as you say, true
THEN I – we – must do this?

Do you agree?

So, in my chart of life
where shall I place the pin?
Firmly in the black – 
my IF test yielding “TRUE”,
or perhaps at some point
in the fringe of grey.  
“TRUE-ish?”

That little question mark – 
it is my ELSE.
Is it written faint or bold?

Must I look into your eyes, 
or read between the lines 
for a possible Plan B?

MUINÍN

MÁ…ANSIN…EILE
MÁ (fíor)
ANSIN (déan seo, nó)
EILE (déan sin). 
Loighic Boolean.
Soiléir, cruinn,
dubh amháin nó bán amháin
gan imir liath.

Mar sin…MÁ tá fíor –
Níl ach do bhriathar agam.
Tá muinín agam asat, 
ach tá doiléire 
i do dhubh agus do bhán.
B’fhéidir.

Ach MÁ deir tú go bhfuil sé ceart
ANSIN tá seo orm - orainn - 
a dhéanamh?

An aontaíonn tú liom?

Mar sin, i mo léarscáil bheatha
cén áit a gcuirim an biorán?
Anseo go dian sa dath dubh –
má tá toradh mo thrian MÁ - FÍOR
nó b’fhéidir in áit eile
i gceantar liath – saghas FÍOR.

An comhartha ceiste beag sin –
is é sin m’EILE?
An scríobhtar é doiléir nó soiléir?

An gcaithfidh mé féachaint i do shúile
nó léigh idir na línte-
nó rogha eile, Plan B? 

*The logic structure here is named after George Boole, and is widely used in computer programming.

David Harris is one of our regular poetry contributors whose ancestors hail from Thurles, County Tipperary. He is Perth-born and Adelaide-based. A retired engineer and pilot, David has spent his retirement learning the Irish language, and writing and publishing his poetry and philosophical tracts. This is David's first bilingual composition.