Tuesday 17 March 2009

LÁ'LE PÁDRAIG FAOI MHAISE!



Lá 'le Pádraig faoi mhaise / Happy Saint Patrick's Day, y'all!!

I have one Paddy's day poem (based on actual events!) which was in Tattoo:Tatú my last collection, so here it is:


SAINT PATRICK’S DAY, GALWAY

Two tame-as-a-lapdog elephants
march their own private parade
across Quincentennial Bridge,
their keepers suited and smiling.

I buy a moonstone, to balance
my raging yin and yang, try to
sidestep splats of piss and vomit,
the gaggles of green-clad drunks.

A footpath slaps up to meet me,
my sober steps none-too careful,
kneecaps and pride dented, I joke
ruefully with the ambulance crew.

8 comments:

Totalfeckineejit said...

THat's gas! Happy SaintPatrick's day!!

Tania Hershman said...

Happy St Patrick's Day to you! Great poem, "green-clad drunks" says so much :)

Group 8 said...

Gas, is it? And me 2 knees nearly broke, begorrah!

Group 8 said...

Hi Tania
Happy Paddy's Day to you too, my dear. It's all a bit mad here today - but in a nice way mostly. People are in good from, the sun is shining, we're all green-clad (and sober!! no Guinness for me this year). My youngest son is in the local parade, as an artist, so we'll head off to that soon.
Have a lovely day whatever you are doing!
N x

Girlhurler said...

Lovely - thanks for that!

This is my first Paddy's Day in Dublin and I'm slightly dreading the splats of piss and vomit ...

Group 8 said...

Eimear - it's hard to know what to do. Go to the pub and risk utter mayhem, or stay at home and wonder what you're missing?! I'd say go to the teach tábhairne and leave before the vomiting hordes. Unless, of course you're one of them...
Enjoy!

Anonymous said...

Hi Nuala

So what did you do for Paddy's Day?

Was a bit of a budget version in Holloway this year - normally it is mayhem but not too many people in outsize hats this time....then again, it never works as well as a midweek thing, so there may be more on the weekend.

Lane

Group 8 said...

Hi Lane
Sorry to hear it was quiet in Holloway. It was lively here - the local parade was bigger than ever; cheap recession fun! My son's school took part and won the overall prize, which was v cute.

I also made St Patrick's Day buns - recipe on my other blog here
http://thehungryvegan.blogspot.com/

No booze for me this year but plenty of sugary things!