Creative Corona: Day 30

Coyau / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

The last word in the series goes to poets Matthew Geden and Christina Hession.  Matthew is based in Kinsale, the author of three collections, the most recent entitled Fruit from Sur Vision Books (2020). He teaches poetry to undergraduate writers and on the MA in Creative Writing at UCC. Christina Hession graduated earlier this year with an MA.

 

Second Chance

The last day drags down the narrow lane,

crosses a stream of cheap champagne,

stumbles out to the headland navigating

the gorse. Wild yellow furze, clusters

 

of suns at the centre of small-scale solar

systems unaware of the self-isolation

in another world. Nothing is lost

but what we lose for ourselves,

 

memories buried beneath the paper-

work. There’s an end to it, he says,

washing his hands. But the truth

is you have taken a winding path

 

ascending into the mist which advances

in on breakers, subdued splash on the rocks

far below. The wanderer in you is forever

hopeful, hastens now to climb above

 

it all into the final seconds of a second

sunset, relive the warmth, resurgent

birdsong amongst the ghosts of tractors,

last loitering light and a fingernail moon.

Matthew Geden

 

Mañana

 

Suspend the squalls of the heart,

Stow them with circled calendar dates,

must do lists,

and under stairs detritus

till mañana.

 

Sit seiza-style

in a faux fur saucer chair.

Pick up a spine-cracked

paperback, and inhale

the perfume of passion

– the aroma of vanilla

and almond.

 

Savour a marshmallowy

hot chocolate,

perched perilously

on your patella.

Watch flames frolic

in the fireplace,

taking solace from the seething sky,

and whining wind.

Tomorrow,

is a clean, though imperfect slate.

 

Christina Hession

Today is our last posting of “Creative Corona”, a month-long platform of writing from students, graduates and writers associated with the MA in Creative Writing at UCC.  A special word of appreciation goes to all the writers who made this project possible.  Their work was donated free of charge and represents a great generosity of spirit in the service of creative commons at a time when conditions for writers are so imperilled.   Many thanks to all.

Mary Morrissy, Associate Director of Creative Writing