of the two laptops, I wander out, starved
of the 5K radius and what I might find
within its compass.
Drizzle falls on Longmeadows,
slightly swelling the Liffey.
The coffee kiosk is closed
but not Mac’s Salvage Yard.
In need of nothing, I wander in,
a lone customer at closing-time.
Toilets, sinks and fireplaces rest,
a stained-glass Guinness lamp lights
sheepskin rugs of different hues.
A random pram stands, surrounded
by dusty bookshelves and chests of drawers -
I see a tired teacher in every mirror.
What of the last anchored year?
I sift through it, wondering which parts
to salvage, which to liquidate.
Dubliner Maeve O'Sullivan’s poetry and haikai have been widely published, anthologized, awarded and translated. She has five collections with Alba Publishing, the most recent being Wasp on the Prayer Flag (2021). Maeve is a member of the Irish Writers’ Centre and has recently received an Arts Council Agility Award.
Twitter: www.twitter.com/writefromwithin
Facebook: www.facebook.com/maeveosullivanpoetry
More work by Maeve O'Sullivan
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