Bayonet scrape marks –
Traces of young bored sentries ~
Local Girls distract.
Their Queen, many years later –
Speaking Irish, amongst friends.
Dublin Castle
Yellow ladybird –
That I cannot photograph ~
Exploring my ‘phone.
Methodical bee –
Visits each of the flowers ~
Even damaged ones.
Deliver training –
Meet colleagues for the first time ~
Better in person.
Sit far from the house –
Deep down in my book, hedges ~
Thrum of my sparrows.
Commuting by car –
Rediscover old CDs ~
Missed singing out loud.
Baby sparrows cheep –
Wood Pigeon’s unfinished song ~
Making lunch outside.
Twin Euphorbia –
Resurgent Pittosporum ~
Scented Easter garden.
Respite (2022 Redux)
Moving through ruins –
Room by room, and floor by floor –
Broken glass ~ wind keens.
We’ve taken the hue –
Of this city’s dust ~ greyscape –
on our young faces.
Enemy unseen –
This, wearing on our senses –
Shush, sudden death lurks…
Let’s rest by a wall –
Read a message ~ share a smoke –
Darkness is falling.
~
Big fires are burning –
Orange tinged sky ~ in the cold –
We keep out of sight.
[We cast no shadows]
Maksym cracks a joke –
In utter fatigue ~ laughter –
Moment of respite.
It’s my watch tonight –
but the lads each help, in turn ~
together, ’till light.
Moving through ruins –
One block at a time ~ slowly –
’tis for you, we fight.
The male house sparrow –
Sits on top the just cut hedge ~
Annoying the cat.
duncancleary 