Live Encounters Poetry & Writing June 2025
A Gaelic Farewell, poems by Finbar Lennon.
A Gaelic Farewell
It was his turn to go – with gritted teeth he went
hoping he had done enough to enter
no longer in control – his body in the hands of others
his mind lying alongside but not in touch
was happy all had gathered to bid him bye
sad though it was – adding woe seemed thoughtless
his wake was full of blessings and glad tidings
weeping was for later when the soul had flown
left all he had to half divide in thirds and quarters
was not his fault they had to wait so long
his strength of will detained them
time first for dark ill-fitting crumpled suits
to join ‘soutanes’ in prayer with oil and incense
bless and bury him with grace and favours
sing a dirge or two with hoary voices out of tune
their debts and what remains borne to the grave
in cortege – home to church and then to earth
family males each in turn a shoulder under casket
a measure of his weight, esteem and fortune
for discussion with the bearers later on
women in their lives looked on and prayed
short interlude for Mass a mention of his name
final steps to empty plot beside a mound
of soil and clay – grass and dandelion on top
laid him low and covered gap with sod and sheet
one decade of rosary by rote for passing soul
gravedigger standing by to plug the gap and close
a chapter in a Gaelic life of joy and toil
before tea and pints of ale to cap it all
brew mixed with tears for one they held in thrall.
“Beckett on Stage”
Pale gusts of darkness
its outer skin parting
opening and closing
for pleasure
as he sits and stands
as he sits and stands
no hesitation
no pauses
no full stops
brimming with exactitude
and repetition
master’s tone matched
by acoustic perfection
a stage show of sorts
celebrate night of sorts
of culture in Pavilion
just as the ship sets sail
just as the ship sets sail.
The Landline
Curly cords coiled and tangled
dangling from handset on a rack
handle with care – dialer is there
in line of sight – ears in walls
press numbers learned by heart
private for two – public for all
alive at night when parents about
lone ring – call for teens to meet
off to phone box down the street
dial a boy or girl from school
ten pence for start-up chatter
extra coins if ardour mattered
when all the news of day relayed
time to play with words and patter
while pursing lips to blow a kiss
how sweet to fall in love on phone!
Homeward Bound
Strut, shimmy, shuffle legs
last one standing night before
taxi-drive on sultry morning
for airlift home with aching bones
I go back in time to sixties
well past myths of Greece and Rome
love songs comfort driver
who does not speak my tongue
lyrics sound like cruise in desert
they just flow on and on
diary space for two more lines
on day in month a year ago.
© Finbar Lennon
Finbar Lennon is a retired surgeon. He lives in Dublin, Ireland. He is the author of three collections of poetry published by Lapwing Publications, Belfast (2021/2022). He is a member of the Bealtaine Writing Group and has had poems published online in Live Encounters, Planet Earth Poetry and Viewless Wings. Two of his poems have been published in a new Anthology by Amos Greig “When the Lapwing Takes Flight” in 2024. Some of his early poems appear in his late wife’s memoir “The Heavens are all Blue” that he co-authored and was published by Hachette Ireland in 2020.
A Gaelic Farewell is very close to the bone I find it a wonderful play on words .
I’m loving Finbar’s latest poems I feel I can relate to them much more than some of the previous poems.
Wonderful work