Poem of the Week, The Irish Times

On Saturday I had a poem, The Natural Order, published in The Irish Times as poem of the week. Thanks to poetry editor, Gerard Smyth.

The poem can be read here.

The Natural Order was written earlier this year and was almost two pieces as it was sparked by separate, but related in the end, incidents. It had a life as a first draft but I went back to the poem a week later and reworked it a little. I had been thinking of writing something about ecology for a couple of years and I may explore that theme more. I always take great comfort from nature and its cyclicity.

Hennessy New Irish Writing in The Irish Times

It's been 6 months since I last blogged but as usual life caught up. I've good news all round really. I had 2 poems published in The Irish Times and equally thrilling is the fact that I have a poem forthcoming in Poetry Ireland Review, edited by Eavan Boland, no less.

Giles Foden's Introduction in The Ogham Stone 2017

Giles Foden

 

 

The The Ogham Stone is the gift that keeps on giving this year. The excellent introduction to the journal by Giles Foden appeared in The Irish Times recently.  I was honoured to have a poem appear in the journal, Lau Tzu at the Door which I also recorded for Lagan Online's Poetry Day Ireland Mix Tape. Poet Glen Wilson also appears in The Ogham Stone and on the mix tape.

 

In relation to my poem Foden writes about how a channel for memory is created when things are given names. This is one of the powers of words and of writing, the power to sweep away the old and create the new in the naming.  This is the symbolic if you like.

 

In other news I was recently delighted to make the Longlist of 20 for The Anthony Cronin International Poetry Award 2017.