Ciara Ní É is DCU’s writer in residence 2020, an Irish Writers Centre ambassador, and the founder of REIC multilingual spoken word. She has performed in New York, London, Brussels, and Sweden. Her work has appeared in journals including Icarus and Comhar. She is a cofounder of LGBTQ+ arts collective Aerach.Aiteach.Gaelach. Her first collection is forthcoming.
Photo: Hannah McGlynn
Seasamh na Mná Galánta
Tar éis tamaill de chomhrá le bean bhreá
atá ag moladh mo chuidse filíochta
ag seoladh irise, deirim léi
go scríobhaim i nGaeilge chomh maith
Feicim scamaill ina súile
agus is cuma faoina freagra cáiréiseach,
cloisim a tuairim go glé, dar léi
go bhfuil mé os cionn a leithéid
Níos déanaí
nuair a shánn a fear céile a lámh thais i mo bhos
is ligeann uaidh gnúsacht mar bheannacht
déanaim lán mo shúl a bhaint as
agus cuimhním gur minic don ghrá a bheith dall
The Party Line
I’m hobnobbing at a magazine launch
Hitting it off with an intellectual glamazon
Who calls my performance sensational
And asks about my name
Yes I also write in Irish, I explain
Confusion clouds her eyes
And even her carefully worded reply
Does not hide her opinion:
That the language is below my station
Later when her husband grunts hello
And crams a sweaty palm in mine
I take him in, head to toe
And I’m reminded of how often love is blind
Ciara Ní É
First published in Aneas (2020)