Christine Murray has featured a couple of my poems from Tattoo : Tatú with translations on her Poethead site, in the Saturday Woman Poet slot. There's a lovely image accompanying the poems, by Paddy McElroy. One of the poems Corcracht/Purpling is about grief, specifically about the death of my sister. The poem always reminds me of this time of year as her December anniversary approaches. Thinking of her makes Christmas bitter-sweet, even after nine years. Do we ever truly get over the death of someone we love well?
8 comments:
it is a beautiful poem Nuala and
thank you for letting me use it.
Chris
And thanks to you, Christine :)
Those poems are really beautiful Nuala, I enjoyed reading them so much. And the translation (as poor as my understanding is!), I feel, is really a great way of keeping language alive.
In relation to death/grief, I don't believe anyone ever gets over the death of someone they love well. Being able to carry them with us is, I suppose, a small comfort, especially at times like Christmas. Keeping them alive in memory is so important.
Thank you, Maeve. It is a comfort, you're right. Must look on the bright side!!
I have had quite a nice and positive
email response to the poems Nuala.
Their universality touches people, when often there is just wordlessness.
Gorgeous, haunting poems, Nuala.
I wish I was better at the oul Gaeilge ...
Lovely poems, Nuala. 'Purpling' reminded me that my neighbour brought me bunches of lilac the evening my brother died, (I didn't know it was supposed to be bad luck, neither did she, obviously!)At the time, it seemed a wonderful expression/assertion of life and beauty in the midst of an unspeakable horror. As for grief: there is a great comfort in knowing that others are going through the same thing, especially at this time of year. Thank You. x
Christine & Eimear - thank you, that's nice to hear.
Lucy - I adore lilac but my neighbour at home was obsessive about its powers of ill luck if brought inside. What a pity - it's such a heady, beautiful flower/shrub.
Thinking of you :)
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