Wednesday 23 February 2011

Ballycastle Poet Heather Newcombe - "A Purse of Shadows"




Ulster Tatler Review
[click to enlarge]

Danny's Choice

     
The Townlands of Torr
    On the journey to your own place
    I marked out the townlands of Torr
    Past Doey's Planting the small burn,
    slate grey and silver.
At Ballyukin School
snowdrops hid under the hedges,
Up Merrick's Brae,
at Ballyloghan, we stopped
outside your house,
climbed the Green Hill.
The Mull and
Spoon Island watched our passing
over Mary Lynn's Bridge.
We lowered you into the cool Coolraney clay,
pressed you into sleep with heavy hearts.
Your girls stoic and strong, your grandsons,
small figures in black, stood
in the weak sunshine shaking hands,
their faces wept of colour.