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Athoscailt, a new poem by Aifric Mac Aodha

With a translation by David Wheatley

Aifric Mac Aodha

Aifric Mac Aodha
Sat Sep 19 2020 - 06:00

Is é an cleas atá ann an righneas mínádúrtha,
an seasamh siar a chur díot láithreach, gan aon riail á sárú.
Má tá tú istigh leo, ní chuirfear cnámh ann.

Caithfidh an fear atá scoite ón mbeár mála Tayto leat
le tabhairt dá shípéir Gearmánach – Dante –
is nuair a fhiafróidh a chompánach de

ar osclaíodh prochóg éigin faoin mbaile mór, an bhfuil oisrí anois á riar acu,
is ar mhaithe leatsa chomh maith le héinne
a labhróidh an guth taobh thiar den chuntar, Tá sin… oisrí agus super noodles.

REOPENING

The trick will be to slip off the bridle
as soon as you can without breaking the rules. If
you catch it, you'll know in your marrow.

READ MORE

The man ringfenced from the bar will toss you a bag
of Tayto to give to his German shepherd – Dante –
and when his other pal asks if some dive

in town is open, and if they're serving oysters now,
for your benefit as much as anyone else's
the voice from behind the counter will say, They are… oysters and super noodles.

Aifric Mac Aodha works as an assistant editor with An Gum. Her latest collection, Foreign News, with translations by David Wheatley, was published by Gallery Press in 2017

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