Wednesday, July 13, 2011



GOLD OF THE GAEL: FOR MY GRANDPARENTS



They seemed to cherish silence - each at either side of the hearth,
never breaking breath  -  even the kettle spluttered  its Gaelic, but not them  -
gold of the Gael was this silence.

When silence came to cherish them nothing changed: at each of their wakes, they lay by their own side of the hearth; he as though he had just come in from scything;
she as though she had just finished making crowdie  -  nothing more.

What is eternal, is the silence,
out from it another kettle splutters  -  in English.



empty glens
stone and wind
lamenting                                                           note: crowdie: cottage cheese

2 comments:

Gordon Mason said...

Enjoyed the kettle spluttering Gaelic, John.

Magyar said...

Grand!
__An honor to your kin, the empty glen. _m