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Best of Irish Poetry 2010
Editor: Matthew Sweeney

Songs of Earth and Light
Barbara Korun poems translated by Theo Dorgan

Done Dating DJs
by Jennifer Minniti-Shippey
Winner, 2008 Fool for Poetry Competition

Richesses: Francophone Songwriter Poets
Edited and translated by Aidan Hayes

Munster Literature Centre

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JOHN WALSH

John Walsh was born in 1950 in Derry, and now lives in Connemara and runs the monthly poetry event North Beach Poetry Nights in Galway city. He has published two poetry collections: Johnny tell Them (Guildhall Press, Derry 2005) and Love's Enterprise Zone (Doire Press, Connemara 2007). Walsh has been published in the following poetry magazines: Flaming Arrows, Black Mountain Review, Cyphers, Southword, The Stony Thursday Book, Crannóg, Revival, Poetry Salzburg Review and Ouroboros Review. His third collection, Chopping Wood with T.S. Eliot, will be published by Salmon Press in May 2010.

Big blue towel

This big blue towel is mine.

I never had as big a towel before.

My sister-in-law, who gave it to me,

always gives me very useful presents.

I can wrap myself in it, snuggle

into its soft touch and reminisce

on my childhood, when I never

had my own towel like this.

As if it were the only thing

I ever wanted to have.

But there were other things I had.

My flashy red sports car that I sat into

and pedalled down the street under

the noses of the other kids, who all

wanted one just like it. My green

racer, the latest Raleigh, that I sailed

to school on and back, feeling elite.

Probably things too I don’t remember.

You know when I think back on it,

I really didn’t do too badly.

However, my therapist gets me to dig up

all kinds of things that might not even be there.

He says when I dig down deep enough, that is

the way I will pull myself out of it.

I’m not so sure. He might just be jealous

of my big blue towel. I’m pretty certain

he doesn’t own one. He’s got a wife and

six kids, two of them going through college.

Lives right in the middle of town, near a busy

roundabout. I think he could use a holiday.

I’d be alright till he gets back. I’d just

take lots more showers until he does.

©2009 John Walsh

Author Links

John Walsh Home Page

Article about Walsh's involvement in Poetry Month

Video of Walsh reading his poems at Ouroboros Review

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