One Poem by Margaret Kiernan

The Son of Omar

It was dated from long ago, the memory

a place Omar’s daughter now vaguely knew

like things beyond herself

not yet stepped into

stench prevails from aged time

when she knew things

 

Rodine, not a poem or berry jam

a small metal tin held a recipe

for visitor rodents or

Elephant in the room, risk going too far

how much love was there?

You Her

 

Menace, quick sprung in raucous movement

scraped chair legs on stone

Omar’s daughter knew she’d choose her mother

protective of her having done her devalued best

to cure her Son, of incurable afflicts

 

Darkest shrieks of night to neighbours

with keen ears, beneath the moon they are deaf

to stop those chewed erupted silences, tensions

at Omar’s house, how could they intervene?

a woman’s need unanswered

what can you do?

 

A measure of remedy, the weight, how much

on rounded tip of butter knife harm or hurt

his palette may be keen sharp that dinnertime

open tin, upon her bony knee, aroma sweet, heavy

watched the grainy mealy stuff

crushed like caviar

remembered Omar once said

stick together un-sundered, kin

 

She closed that tin

put it somewhere safe

the roadmap home lost

between those that gave her Life

Friday’s child gave way ,for love.

Margaret Kiernan writes fiction, non-fiction essay, memoir, and poetry. She has had poetry and prose published in e-book, in anthology collections, and literary journals and magazines - including, Black-lion Press, Pendemic.ie journal-C19 collection , archived at University College Dublin, The Blue Nib Lit-Journal , The Write Life Magazine, Unity Global Festival, Vox Galvia at the Galway Advertiser, A New Ulster Literary Press, The Burrow Lit. Journal, Poet-Head.Wordpress.com and Lothlorien Poetry Journal.

She writes with Over the Edge, Thursday writing/reading group at Galway Arts Centre, and, Ox Mountain Poets, Sligo.

She is listed in the Index of Contemporary Women Poets in Ireland, 2020. 

She holds several Educational qualifications, Including a Degree in Arts in Humanities, from Sligo IT.

Her background is in Advocacy in Human and Social Rights.

Margaret has completed numerous courses and workshops in writing, for prose and poetry.

Tutors in poetry includes, Annemarie Ni Churainn, Martin Dyer, Colm Keegan, Monica Corish, Moyra Donaldson, Noel Monahan, Kevin Higgins.

Tutors in prose includes, Claire Allan, Anne McMaster, Conor Kostick, Carlo Gebler, Malacai O’Doherty, Jan Carson, Ciara Doorley.

 

Margaret has four grown-up children. She lives in Westmeath with her dog Molly. She is a landscape painter. Is into Nature, walking, gardening, music, and heritage. She is working towards a First collection in Poetry.

 

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