Tinteán

Ceithearnach coille

Ba chuimhin léi seitreach an chapaill
is an ceithearnach sa diallait
ag féachaint uirthi go leithleach
faoi eagna fhuar na gealaí
ag cuimhneamh ar scéal eile
i measc na mílte eachtra
ag titim ag titim is an fhuil
ina tuile a bhorr is a bháigh
na páirceanna is na coillte
siolla dochloiste ina bhéal
is a shúile ag sú na hoíche

Bushranger

She remembered the neigh of the horse
and the outlaw in the saddle
looking at her distantly
under the cold wisdom of the moon
as he recalled another story
among thousands of adventures
and fell and fell with the blood
like a flood that swelled and drowned
both field and forest
a syllable on his tongue unheard
his eyes absorbing the night

Cur i gcéill

Feicfidh tú romhat an gaiscíoch mór
nuair a phléascann an t-Earrach

an Jacaranda siúd ag screadadh
a dhathanna trasna a ghéaga

a ghlór ceoldrámach
an musc ag saighdeadh ar do pholláirí

gach bláth gach tom lag ar lár ina scáil
is titeann gach crann roimhe á adhradh

glóire a chomhail chorcra
údarás a sheasaimh mar choirnéal stóchúil

a shotalacht ag sárú gach geall buaite
a ghuth garg ag leagan amach

rí na gcrann ag preabadh mar chroí
an ghairdín

go dtiteann a chochall chun talamh
is go bhfeictear go bhfuil

a chnámharlach craptha lom
chomh briosc leis an bhféar

Pretence

You’ll see before you the great hero
when spring bursts

that Jacaranda screeching
its colours along its branches

its operatic voice
its musk taunting the senses

each flower each bush waning in its shade
and each tree falls in adoration

the glory of its cowl of violet
the authority of its stance a stoic colonel

its arrogance in overcoming, achieving each feat
its acrid command directing

the king of trees, pulsating as
the garden’s heart

until its hood collapses
and it is observed that its

hunched bare skeleton is as vulnerable
as the grass

Galah ar sreang

le Dymphna Lonergan

Siar is aniar
anonn is anall
mar ghleacaí amaitéarach
ar líne theileagraif.
Sciathán oscailte
don chith fáilteach
ag nochtadh go bródúil do chleití dearga.

Agus deirtear gur éan amaideach thú.

Galah on a wire

Back and forth
to and fro
like an amateur gymnast
on a telegraph line.
Wings open
to the welcoming shower
proudly revealing your red feathers.

And they say you are a stupid bird.

Sliabhraon Flinders, gealach lán tráthnóna,
An ghrian ag titim faoi imeall na spéire,
slis gheal fágtha,
cúbann a líne lonrach, cúbann agus imíonn
as radharc.
Casaim timpeall chun féachaint soir.
Os cionn na gcnoc corcra feictear
líne bhuí oráiste, ag leathadh, ag fás,
ag ardú, ansin fágann imeall na spéire
dorcha;
liathróid ollmhór oráiste an ghealach lán.
An ghealach lán ‘s luí na gréine le chéile
san áit dhraíochtúil seo, dorchadas, ciúnas,
barr na sléibhte ‘s spéir.
Tír dhúchais na nAdnyamathanha.

Is mise líne lúdrach ó ghrian go gealach,
stiúrann mo lámha a ngluaiseacht.
Ardaíonn mo lámh chlé an ghealach.
Brúnn mo lámh dheis an ghrian as radharc.

Mothaím ceangailte leis an gcosmas ‘s an
Domhan.

Flinders Ranges hilltop, full moon eve.
Sun sinks onto horizon,
bright sliver left,
its brilliant line shrinks, shrinks and
disappears.
I turn around to look toward the east.
Above the purple hills, now shows a line
of yellow-orange light. It widens, grows,
ascends, now leaves the
dark horizon;
a huge, deep orange ball is the full moon.
Full moon rise and sunset together,
in this magic setting, darkness, stillness,
mountain top and sky, Adnyamathanha
country.

I am the pivot of a line from sun to moon,
my arms control their movement,
left hand lifts the moon,
right pushes the sun out of sight.

I feel at connected with the cosmos and the
Earth.

Seomra Cúpla

Dhá leaba shingile.
An t-aon seomra le fáil againn
i gcomhair na hoíche
agus sinn sásta.

Ach leapacha singile gan dabht.
Is níos leithne sinn beirt,
taobh le taobh, ná an leaba.
Contúirteach.

Barróg roimh chodladh –
is leor sin.
Gan óige ná aclaíocht againn
ní féidir linn
cuimhneamh
ar ghníomh ar bith eile.

Chodlaíomar go headra.

Twin Room

Twin beds.
The only room that we could get,
for the night,
we’re happy.

But very definitely single beds.
The two of us, side by side
are wider than the bed.
Precarious.

A good night cuddle –
just manageable.
No longer young
and supple enough
to consider
anything more.

We slept well.