FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Scott De Buitléir releases second bilingual poetry collection, with foreword from Scottish Gaelic writer, Marcas Mac an Tuairneir
Love during lockdown, childhood memories, gay rights history, and spirituality are just some of the themes covered in Elysium // Párthas, the new poetry collection from Scott De Buitléir.
(more…)Trigger Warning: Assault, Murder
In memory of Sarah Everard.
Breath by breath
she counts, in and out
and thinks of anything else
– tonight was a good night, overall
Step by step
the path she knew so well
was darker then, but the same danger
for threats persist without shadow.
Inch by inch
the goosebumps ran
over skin he touched, before:
“Sorry, I’ve got a man”
A lie which lay
between scorn and escape,
his eyes seared into hers, piercing:
“Right, whatever, see ya later”
Pick up the pace,
keys firm in hand
should a cat call need a southpaw
– only six more streets left.
Steps echoed to a rhythm
not of her own, for echoes of
sound and mind keep apace
– don’t look back, just go
but pace and path
catch up at last
and a laneway became a gateway
– exit, stage left.
Rose by rose,
the petals fall
with heads down as her coffin’s laid low
And yet, they’ll explain
instead of how he got away,
that it was her fault, somehow,
she was slain.
–
Cork, 11 March 2021
Ba é an chéad dordveidhil a fuair Ciara ná an ceann céanna is a bhí ag a seanmháthair; í ina dordveidhleadóir le ceolfhoireann i bPáras, tráth. Tugadh L’Étoile d’Irlande – réalt na hÉireann – uirthi i measc lucht an cheoil sa Fhrainc agus i gcuid mhaith eile na hEorpa. Bhí clú uirthi mar dhordveidhleadóir den chéad scoth, ó Rann na Feirste go dtí an Róimh agus ó Chonamara go Cív. Nuair a d’éirigh sí as a bheith ina ceoltóir proifisiúnta, thug sí a ‘leanbh’ – dordveidhil a rinneadh i bPáras – do Chiara mar bhronntanas dá hochtú breithlá déag. Faoin am sin, bhí Ciara ag seinnt leis an gceolfhoireann náisiúnta agus bhí sí ag cleachtadh le haghaidh éisteachta do cheolfhoireann i Londain. Bhí sí cinnte dearfa go raibh sí chun céimeanna a seanmháthar a leanúint, agus dul níos faide ná mar a chuaigh sí féin.
Léigh NÍOS MÓDóibh siúd a thabharfadh faoi ndeara í, bhí cuma deas go leor ar Áine. Bheadh an blús bán iarnáilte go deas aici; cnaipe amháin ar oscailt chun a muinice airgid a thaispeáint. Uaireadóir airgid ar chaol a láimhe chlé, brístí dubha agus bróga dubha dheasa. Bheadh a cuid gruaige déanta suas aici go stíleach freisin, don chuid is mó den am. Bhí sí stíleach, agus shíl sí féin go raibh sí cairdiúil do dhaoine – nó bhí súil aici go raibh an chuma sin uirthi.
(more…)We are uneasy, living
in such mundane luxury as this:
The privilege of stasis,
waiting on the last to die
like the first-born sons of Egypt
while we at home watch dust build
over dust, ashes to ashes.
We, rich
– for now –
in hygiene and health
know not the pain of that final Facetime,
a window without closure,
yet we’re all in this together.
While heretics sacrifice
humanity to false gods,
not in search of promised land
but to maim our immortal soul
and take from us our hope and love
And yet, throughout, we faithful pray
for salvation, sought in how we stay
and wait for the glory of a warm embrace.
Cork, 1 February 2021
Scott De Buitléir 