The hard-working Arts Office at Kilkenny County Council have produced Edition 9 in their attractive Broadsheet series. Edited by Yvonne Cullen, it presents a cross-section of new poetry from Kilkenny. From has near as Rathculliheen in Ferrybank across to Inistioge and up to Castlecomer. It manages to include 16 poems in a nice grey and pink format, while including some attractive and thoughtful drawings. Themes of youth and age and a transitional image of childbirth, feature and give the work a cohesive quality.
Kevin Dowling of Freshford opens with Daybreak:
- A murmur of tears
- Clings to the blue mountain
- As light gathers and sings.
Jill Stewart Nunn catches a life reflection in a mirror in Girl, Aged Six and Monica Fleming moves into grunge with Pictures On Our Walls. Susie Lamb tells of the young mother in 5am Feed, in that private hopeful moment when old words make new dreams.
Myra McAuliffe catches the beginning twilight of old age in The Once A Week and Geraldine Coleman of Rathculliheen puts birth and death like bookends in her fine poem, You Are Important.
Willie-Joe Meally was most impressive with two poems from Castlecomer; Always On My Mind, about memories that transcend country and western imagery and With Us, a sad poem that will stop your heart with its closing line.
One hundred and eight poems were submitted by forty-one writers and sixteen poems by thirteen were included in this Broadsheet. Wouldn’t it be a nice thing if Waterford City Council put out such a sheet through their Libraries programme.
