Two poems celebrating Cork locations reminding us of the lost freedom of the city.  Jessica Militante is a student on this year’s MA while Christine Kannapel graduated earlier this year.

 

Lost Marbles

I remember them rolling recklessly down Western Road

A seagull laughing as I chased after them

This was before the doubt took up permanent residence in my chest

And blamed me for making it hard to breathe

At Mardyke Street, they split away from each other

One sailed into the River Lee

Waving cheekily as it rode away on the waves

I followed the other down the lane

It lodged deep into a crack in the pavement

Just out of reach

Each attempt at rescue sent it deeper

Before it disappeared

The seagull tilted his head to the side

And I walked home without them

Jessica Militante

 

Echo

A man is singing in the city centre

by a park with apple trees. I sit lost

in an orange room of pale light, typing softly

his rhythm, listening, to know it better.

When I am grey and nearly stone, I wonder

will I too sing – but this man will out live me.

From his corner, he’s seen all there is to see

of autumn incensed night and flat skied winters.

 

It’s not autumn yet, but summer is old

and I thirst for years of my life, for song

to appear on the street, to share my soul

like drum beats.  I find the man wary, amongst

piles of newspapers that couldn’t be sold.

“Echo!” he sings – a pitch for sale, all day long.

Christine Kannapel

TOMORROW:  “The Turning” by Rachel Andrews