UNDER MACGILLYCUDDY’S REEKS
under MacGillycuddy’s Reeks
rain pours relentlessly
sheep scatter as vehicle approaches
a three-way junction
two leading to where cars are banned
unless they come with four feet
smoke rises from the fire
where a tinker is encamped
yellow flowers bloom in grass
growing down the middle of roads
that climb and twist above the top
of raging waterfalls and cross
gaps between mountainsides
passing places are precarious and few
mists and clouds curl over the peaks
until we reach a remote bar
over lunch we watch the world news on TV
while the locals converse in Gaelic
© Gerald England
Composed: Kenmare, 15th September 2000
Publication
2005 DARK LULLABY (Pittsburgh, UnMon America)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Drove over the pass on a fine day, somehow got through a cavalcade of horse-drawn carriages and tourist buses. Ended up somewhere romantically green with a river of tumbling rapids. Had a picnic then slept for an hour on a warm rock in the bracken.
ReplyDelete