I have been trying to track down a copy of Revival, An Anthology of African Poetry, edited by Dick Dawson with no luck. However, a journal article did remind me of this anonymous poem. Drat you, Mosquito Drat you, mosquitoI'm after your bloodOR,(should I say?) MineI wish you wouldWhine and dine elsewhereAnd even more do … Continue reading School Days Over – Drat you Mosquito
School Days Over
FOUND – POEM – The Giraffe by Geoffrey Dearmer
A few days ago, while chatting with a bestie from Zimbabwe, a line from a poem we had studied in school floated into my head - '...hide of a deer and eyes of a baby calf...'. We had been casually chatting about giraffes - as one does - and agreed it was the perfect description … Continue reading FOUND – POEM – The Giraffe by Geoffrey Dearmer
It’s HalloweeeeeeeeNNNN!
In 1995, Seamus Heaney won the Nobel Prize for Literature. As a tribute, Michael Holohan set the poem ‘No Sanctuary’ from A Northern Hoard 4to music - performed here by The Lindsay Singers. https://youtu.be/JqZS7TI1C28 It’s my perfect Halloween song. It's Hallowe'en. The turnip-man’s lopped headBlazes at us through split bottle glassAnd fumes and swims up … Continue reading It’s HalloweeeeeeeeNNNN!
101 Poems about Childhood
As well as recently becoming an aunt; many of my friends have brought splendid little people into the world. Naturally, my first impulse has been to read up on the whole experience. So last week I checked out '101 Poems about Childhood' from my local library. While I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting … Continue reading 101 Poems about Childhood
Things I like – Colette Nic Aodha
The following poem appeared in the 2013 Art Craftwork Higher Level and I thought it was too gorgeous to keep to myself!! It's the first time that I've read anything by this homegrown (mine - so Irish, before you all get all excited) poet, but I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for more from now on! … Continue reading Things I like – Colette Nic Aodha
O Level Poetry – They Walked and Talked – Uche Okeke
1974 The Crescent Moon - Uche Okeke As part of my ongoing "School Days Over" poetry project; I have been racking my brain trying to remember the names of the poems and poets that we studied for my O Levels (in Zimbabwe). I spent so long wishing and wanting and waiting for those exams … Continue reading O Level Poetry – They Walked and Talked – Uche Okeke
Leaving Certificate Poetry – Elizabeth Bishop
The final international poet in my Leaving Certificate series - I might have saved the best till last. Elizabeth Bishop - according to my English teacher - was one of the most significant American poets EVER and one of the most distinguished poets of the 21st century. My English teacher was an awesome lady, a … Continue reading Leaving Certificate Poetry – Elizabeth Bishop
Leaving Certificate Poetry – Seamus Heaney
The final of 'our' Irish poets - Seamus Heaney - one of my favourites. In fact; excluding Yeats, he is *probably* my favourite. This might sound odd, but it's almost embarrassing to admit to being a Heaney fan these days. He is a prolific, sensitive and intelligent poet...but worst of all...he is popular. We Irish … Continue reading Leaving Certificate Poetry – Seamus Heaney
Leaving Certificate Poetry – John Keats
The second of the International poets that we studied was John Keats. Now, I'm a bit of a romantic myself, with just a touch of a maudlin streak so I settled comfortably and immersed myself in the following poems. After the tangled mess that is Longley, the dark deep undercurrents of Elizabeth Bishop and the … Continue reading Leaving Certificate Poetry – John Keats
Leaving Certificate Poetry – Michael Longley
The second (of three) Irish poets studied during my Leaving Certificate was Michael Longley. This Northern Irish poet was utterly unknown to me before my final year at school. Of all the poems we read over and over and over again; these were the ones I struggled with the most. He manages to cram so … Continue reading Leaving Certificate Poetry – Michael Longley
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