The Reflective Eye: FLARE 12

The Reflective Eye
by Orla Grant-Donoghue
(after the sculpture by Emer O Boyle at University College Dublin)

Can I hide in this place
where reality is multiplied,
amplified
between beams of light
magnified,
where mirrored retinas
reflect inner lives,
where jet streams carry truth
in the half light,
where moonbeams and sunlight
can find me
with
or
without
my sight?

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Thank you to Éamon Mag Uidhir for including my poem The Reflective Eye in FLARE 12. More information on where FLARE is available is at http://www.flare.ie The stunning cover art is by Solus (Instagram @solus.art). The sculpture is by Emer O Boyle at University College Dublin. This poem aims to raise awareness about living with a rare eye disease.

Evening of Poetry & Music to celebrate Midsummer at Alan Hanna’s bookshop in Bark Coffee, Thurs 20 June 2019

Thanks to the amazing poets and audience who joined us for an evening of readings and performances at Alan Hanna’s bookshop in Bark Coffee. Particular thanks to Barra and Kevin for their warm welcome and invitation to Bark Coffee.

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My poem for the evening was “Midsummer” and it was recorded it at Porchlight Studios in Dublin.

 

Programme Information

Join us for an evening of poetry and music to celebrate Midsummer at Alan Hanna’s bookshop in Bark Coffee, Rathmines on Thursday 20 June. Doors will open at 6:30pm and readings and performances begin at 7pm.

This is a FREE event but places are limited. To reserve a place, please email Orla Grant-Donoghue at thefrayedheart@gmail.com

Performances & readings by:

  • Michael J. Whelan
  • Eileen Casey
  • Éamon Mag Uidhir
  • Kevin Bateman
  • Doreen Duffy
  • David Grant
  • Christian Wethered
  • Orla Grant-Donoghue
  • Susan Condon
  • Vivienne Kearns

Music on the night will be performed by Christian Wethered.

Poetry Day Ireland: LabelLit Poetry M’App Project

To celebrate Poetry Day Ireland on 2 May 2019, I wrote poems for the Poetry M’App project, an online map of poems from around the world involving 50 poets across 5 continents at http://www.poetrymapp.com Thank you to Maria McManus and Una Lee for including my poems in this wonderful project.

Chroma is inspired by a sculpture by Eilis O’Connell at University College Dublin.
The Reflective Eye is inspired by a sculpture by Emer O Boyle at University College Dublin.

Sincere thanks to Niall Woods from Porchlight Studios Dublin for the recordings of both poems.

On Poetry Day Ireland 2 May 2019, I left signed gift tags with information on how to listen to both poems and with lines from each poem at University College Dublin,

Photo of Chroma by Vincent Hoban from University College Dublin.

Photo of The Reflective Eye by sculptor and artist, Emer O Boyle.

Poetry Day Ireland: Event at the Olivier Cornet Gallery

A Truth or Dare Response to ‘An Altered Land’

As part of the Poetry Day Ireland celebrations on May 2 2019, Olivier Cornet hosted an event at the Olivier Cornet Gallery where 13 poets responded to

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the exhibition “An Altered Land” by artist David Fox. We had a wonderful turnout on the evening and there was standing room only at the gallery.

My response is Cutting through Green recorded at Porchlight Studios, Dublin.

 

More Information & Links about the Event and the Exhibition
7:05pm: Welcome by Olivier Cornet
Introduction to poets by Orla Grant-Donoghue
7:10: Éamon Mag Uidhir
7:15: Eileen Casey
7:20: Dr Catherine Ann Cullen
7:25: Doreen Duffy
7:30: Christian Wethered
7:35: David Grant
7:40: Micheal J. Whelan
7:45: Brian Kirk
7:50: Jasmina Šušić
7:55: Susan Condon
8:00: Eoin Flynn
8:05: Orla Grant-Donoghue
8:10: Dr Mary O’Malley-Madec
8:15pm: Closing remarks Olivier Cornet

Poem: Gone

Orla Grant-Donoghue at Curracloe Beach
Curracloe Beach

You lifted me out of my head
dropped me into my heart
but I keep
falling
falling
falling.

You set us on a course to collide
when the stardust settled
you were
gone
gone
gone.

No wrapping ribbons around shattered fragments of
what
is
broken
gone.

No undoing what was done
no taking back the hurt
what we had is no more
it’s
gone
gone
gone.

Reflections

Poem from The Lea-Green Down, edited by Eileen Casey, published by Fiery Arrow Press – an anthology of poems responding to the poetry of Patrick Kavanagh.

Reflections
Orla Grant-Donoghue

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In still waters here
where you contemplated
all that went before,
I will watch over your words
until the sun burns away.

Not one
will I allow go astray.

I can dress you in evergreen
or bronze. Cast you
on a lake of calm
or a wooden seat of clay but
until the sun burns away
I will watch over your words.

Not one
Will I allow go astray.

I give you my word.
Your legacy will remain,
etched in our hearts to stay.

Is mise Éire.
© Orla Grant-Donoghue 2018

Haiku: From Ulysses

These haiku were included as part of an installation by artist, Nickie Hayden, at the Olivier Cornet Gallery to celebrate Bloomsday 2018. The exhibition is entitled “Drawing on Joyce.”

Plums pierced, dribbled spit
search spires skywards – rambunctious
women stone pillar.

Sand letter. Stick pen.
Stuck in silt. I. AM. A. Note
for Nausicaa. Fade.

Stone, worry, walk, long
counting heartbeats, searching. Where?
Soap in pocket. Safe.

Written by Orla Grant-Donoghue

© Orla Grant-Donoghue 2018