Tag: Poetry

New Publication, Writing News

Poet of the month over at The Lonely Crowd

I’m honoured to be Poet of the Month for August over at The Lonely Crowd. Many thanks to editor Dr John Lavin for accepting my three poems. Read about my process here.

The first poem, “Self-Butchery In Two Parts”, looks at changing bodies, surgery, and personal V medical approaches to health. You can listen to me reading the poem on the same page.

The second poem, “Daughter, Frizzante (In Padova)“ explores my changing relationship with my adult daughter, and contemplates the roles of mothers and daughters separated by geography.

Finally, the third poem, “Rule of Thirds” touches again on my interest in female relationships. Here I move beyond my own life and attempt to step into “incarceration time” (where the day is set out in thirds) by imagining a fictional imprisoned mother’s wishes for her free daughter, on the cusp of adolescence.

The Lonely Crowd also feature a short story of the month, such as August’s story by Lisa Blackwell. Why not scroll through the great selection of diverse work or purchase one of their excellent journals.

Author Photo on The Lonely Crowd: by Ger Holland (taken at The Irish Writers Centre, December 2024)

Contemplation, Writers Read

Reading and Consideration

Now that the brighter days are here (though they have already started to shorten), I’m starting another reading and consideration bout; a lovely mix of stories, poetry, philosophy, essays, fiction and non-fiction. I assembled the pile for physical balance rather than any particular order. The following books appear from top to bottom in the photograph above:

  • Mary O’Donnell Walking Ghosts (Mercier, 2025)
  • Mary Oliver A Poetry Handbook (HarperCollins, 1994)
  • Max Porter Shy (Faber, 2023)
  • Susan Sontag As Consciousness is Harnessed to Flesh (Picador, 2012)
  • Nóirín Ní Riain Sacred Rituals (Hachette, 2023)
  • Greg Dinner Fragments (Ogham & Dabar Books, 2025)
  • Gerald Dawe Catching the Light (Salmon, 2018)
  • Philip Marsden Under a Metal Sky (Granta, 2025)
  • Jan Zalasiewicz How to Read a Rock (The History Press, 2022)

Contemplation, On Reading, Writers Read, Writing Life

Brevity and Letting Words Sit

I was delighted to be able to attend a number of literary events recently – it’s not often that I am in a position to do so – and whilst in Strokestown for the Strokestown International Poetry Festival and in Maynooth Bookshop for Mary O’Donnell’s launch, I picked up some gems of poetry and short story collections.

Photograph showing the covers of the seven books listed below

As a predominantly long-form prose writer, I treasure the chance of brevity, beauty, and letting words sit for a while. Here’s my reading list:

  • Nuala O’Connor Menagerie (Arlen House) – poetry
  • Vona Groarke Infinity Pool (Gallery Press) – poetry
  • Mary O’Donnell Walking Ghosts (Mercier Press) – short story collection
  • Alan Hayes and Nuala O’Connor (eds) Washing Windows V (Arlen House) – poetry (by 303 poets – and I’m delighted to have a poem in here!)
  • Celia de Fréine Even Still (Arlen House) – short story
  • Noelle Lynskey Featherweight (Arlen House) – poetry
  • Eilish Martin ! All’arme/? And what…if not (Macha Press) – poetry (stunning art work and production)