written for darren murphy (1982-2003), who fell and died while descending carrauntoohil mountain this past saturday.*
the lashing day
on the lashing day
we drove down the wet black tear road,
resigned to that piled stone building
peaked with iron.
passed chubby hills, damp sponges,
the grey sky punctuating
delicate green
skin and brown
hedge rows fingering.
ii.
up the mountain
on scree, in coum
the path was hard to find.
mud and awkward rock menacing.
sharp rain,
driving cold, flaked
by the pushing wind
howling a mother's cry.
iii.
the response will be:
up the mountain
on scree, in coum
the path was hard to find.
ruined houses like broken teeth
against the flank
of the wooded river.
response.
up the mountain
on scree, in coum
the path was hard to find.
stone sword, stone shield
comfort those
in from wind and rain.
response.
By Lacie on Thursday, November 13, 2003 - 01:39 pm: