Lonely Voice at The Irish Writers Centre - July

So I took up the sword and here I am on the steps to the reading room in The Irish Writers' Centre with Paddy Smith and Michael Farry from The Boyne Writers' Group.  I have to say thanks to them for coming to hear me read and to a couple of my friends who came too.  The judge Leo Cullen liked the imagery in my story and I am happy about that as creating imagery is for me a huge part of being a poet and I do tend to see my writing in a strong visual way.  It was, as has been mentioned in Michael's blog, and by the judge, a bold piece, it said something anyway.  I think now that I need to give more concentration to stories and to perhaps something, dare I say, longer, while still working on my poetry. 

I attended a Boyne Writers' meeting on Thursday night and there is great excitement about the forthcoming Boyne Berries 10.  I also saw the reclaimed Battle of the Books trophy.  It seemed to glitter in the dimmed light of the Castle Arch Hotel. 

Congratulations to the other three writers who shared the experience of The Lonely Voice: Short Story Introductions with me; Guy Barriscale, Deirdre McClay and  Sarah Gimartin.  We are pictured below.

Reading in The Irish Writers' Centre tomorrow night 7pm

The jeans I like that have been missing since October have just been found and where were they? In the top drawer of the chest of drawers!  Why didn't I see them before this?  Anyway this is good as I can wear them tomorrow with a black top and a black jacket.  So that's sorted.  I'm also going to get my hair done tomorrow afternoon so at least I should look the part.

Now I only have to worry about feeling like a rabbit caught in headlights, stunned and unable to speak.  Or perhaps I will panic and run from the building.  No, just calm down.  It should be okay.  Except I feel a bit like an "i" (a little i in an ee cummings poem).  I've printed off the story and read it aloud once.  I must read it again in a while.  In the immediate I have to go to sleep and go to work in the morning. 

The next Lonely Voice Short Story readings will take place on Wednesday, 6th July at 7pm, where Sarah Gilmartin, Deirdre McClay, Orla Fay and Guy Barriscale, the four short-listed writers, will read from their winning stories. The readers were selected anonymously by guest judge Leo Cullen.

Poem 42


n

OthI

n


g can

s

urPas


s

the m

y


SteR

y

of


s

tilLnes

s

e.e. cummings