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Live Encounters Poetry & Writing May 2024.
The Lovers of Dún Laoghaire, poem by Paris Rosemont.
The Lovers of Dún Laoghaire
’Tis said that by the knotted whorl where river meets the sea
a bonny lass with raven locks and glacial eyes of blue
slips out on full-mooned nights to wait for him at Dún Laoghaire.
A travelling minstrel stole her heart and swore a promise true:
my darling, if you wait for me, I shall return some day
to free you from that brute to whom you’re wed;
when I’ve the means.
But first, I must my fortune build so we may sail away
out to the Ring of Kerry, where I’ll worship you, my Queen.
You’ll want for naught and there we’ll live—I’ll take you as my wife.
How happy we shall be, my love!
Alas, ’twas not to be.
The lass’s husband found them out and plunged her with a knife.
Far up the coast the lad caught wind of this great tragedy.
’Tis said each time a new moon rises ’tween this world and hers
you’ll see the lovers’ shadows dancing ’midst the conifers.
Written whilst in County Kerry, Ireland, as an Atelier Artist in Residence (April, 2024).
This poem is in the form of a Sonnet in iambic heptameter, otherwise known as a ‘Fourteener’
© Paris Rosemont
Paris Rosemont, author of debut poetry collection Banana Girl (published by WestWords, 2023) writes poetry that traverses liminal spaces between the light and dark. Her writing has won a swathe of awards both locally and internationally. Paris takes delight in bringing her poetry to life through multi-disciplinary modes of expression, including theatrical performance. She may be found at https://www.parisrosemont.com/
