Tommy Collins Poetry

A bhláith tar chugam Is múin dom do rúin, Tóg ó shuaimneas Is ó shíocháin mé Arís is go minic Is taispeán dom An spleodar agus An spraoi atá le fáil Sa neamhghnách, San ildaite 's Sa choimhthíoch, Sa chathair seo Atá úrnua dom shúile, Las ionam an splanc Nár dhóigh le tamall Agus cuir tús le ré Rómansúil gheal chorraitheach Agus aontas breá taitneamhach.

N'fheadar cén trua is mó, a stór, Is muid ag dul ár mbealaí éagsúla, An tuiscint go mbeidh mé brónach I do dhiaidh fad is atáimid scartha Nó an tost pianmhar seo, aineolas, An cosc atá orm a choimeádann dúnta Mo bhéal is nach ligeann dom Mo scéal a insint duit i gceart, An mearbhall searbhmhilis, masc sonais Fad is a bhreathnaíonn tú orm Agus súile chuig na flaithis nuair A shiúlaim uait sa dorchadas.

Sitting in a front row seat,  Probably the best table in the house, Trying to smile and sing along To the band who stand so close, And safely surrounded by friends, Black velvet refreshment in a cool glass Stains the wood by my right hand, I watch the foam on the water pass As it drifts over the falls and beyond, But still not quite contented as  I ponder the poetry of the music, Wonder at the wisdom of the lyrics, Long to stand at the centre of the song. I day-dream of leading the chorus, Stepping from the safety of my seat And taking to front of the stage... For that is where I want to be.

One of these days I'll look you in the eye And hold your gaze And stop searching The walls and floor For words that will not come, For the words that have Evaded us for far too long. For those are words That we don't really need, Not right away at least, Just more distractions, Just second thoughts And barriers to actions, The food for doubts That make me look away... One of these days I'll step to close this space, To meet your eyes and smile, And bring your lips to mine.

Ba bhreá liom gan 'bheith Chomh aineolach is atáim Ar scéalta ársa eipicí Na laochra is a naimhde A deirtear go mhaireadar Sa tír seo fadó, Go mbeadh tuiscint agam Ar na n-aibhneacha 's na sléibhte, Ar na n-oileáin 's na lochanna, Ar turasanna thar na dtonnta, Ar chogaí idir fórsaí De bharr ghrá idir beirt nó triúir, Ar an ngrá rúnda féin Is ar chonas gurb fhéidir É a rá is a scaoileadh Nó é chrá is a éalú.

There is a simple kind of joy In driving late at night When all the roads are quiet And the peace is rarely broken And the darkness offers cover For the wandering and prowling Of the slight and delicate fox. I see them sometimes Gently pawing at the grass banks Along the otherwise deserted tar Or hunching low and slender And rushing from the avenue To hide in shadows around the estate, But it pains me all too often When I find in harsh daylight The broken, dust-stained pieces Of their once bright, fiery coats Battered and abandoned on the roadside.

As the resident musician Plays to the regular crowd That fills the courtyard, My companion's pointing finger Draws my attention above To a spot in the shadows Where two pigeons sit, staring, Trapped after the canopy Was drawn to keep out the rain, Perched on the speakers And all the while observing The unsuspecting dancers, And after a few drinks I let my mind wander, Wondering if a similar vision Inspired Poe or Hitchcock, The power and horror Of something so small, The mundane put out of place And into the darkness above.

I see bright purple flowers Growing through the cracks Of the wall along the river By the road towards the bridge, On that side of the water Opposite this city centre Underneath the hanging branches Of the chestnuts near the benches Where I used go to sit and think, To pause and try to breathe in peace While out for walks in fading evening On the wall's safe side, behind the flowers.

A careful first sip, Gentle pursing of my lip, Tasting the sweetness On my tongue But not taking Too much too soon, The hot cup held up Just close enough To wet the tip Of my nose, Exhalations steaming Up from the surface, I dry the drips And let out a Satisfied and smiling sigh As soothing warmth Spreads down my throat And through my chest, I sit back and Slip deeper into the cushions, Breathing slowly As I drink.

It was certainly not what one Would call a typical reunion, Embracing in the dark outside The hotel, hours after midnight, Before strolling in to the residents bar. You insisted on buying me a drink. We thought of how long it had been. Too long, we agreed through smiles, You after an evening celebrating And me after beer for one at home. Blame absolved and inhibitions already Bypassed with our conversation barely started, Talk of all of our mistakes and old, yet Still remembered desires to the fore, No fear at all of bringing up The way things were with us before, I listened and let you tell me Everything, all the details I had not known. All was for sharing, every Minor confession and every big deal, Every part of you and me As was practical in such strange And coldly public circumstances, Even allowing for the darkness and the hour. What more is there to say about it now? We each have plans in places far apart, Each different dreams and ideas, Though neither of us knows for sure, of

It would be So much easier To move on and To forget the things That happened Between us If your latest lover Did not bring up Your name In conversation And ask for My opinion Of you. I still remember The words I spoke, The highs and lows In those few Short sentences, The suggestion that There may be wisdom In avoiding one Most beautiful But who'd only Break his heart. It is too late now To ask that I keep My honesty To myself, Though now at least You have My side To balance out The story. But I'd rather not Think at all About you Any more.

D'fhanthas im' thost go ró-fhada, Osnaí á ligeant uaim Nuair a bhuaileadh smaointí mé Seachas dánta a scríobh Nó óráid a rá, An teannas ag méadú Sna ghualainne orm Seachas mo chorp a chur Ag croitheadh nó mo Chroí ag buaileadh le gliondar, Leathannaigh folmha bánna Snug idir a gclúdaigh Seachas marcanna phinn Scaipthe ina scrapanna Ar urlár an tseomra, Ar eagla gurb i laige A thit mo ghuth, Go dtí gur sháraigh mé An t-uaigneas i m'intinn Is thógas ón scabbard mo chlaíomh.

Cúis ioróine is ea é domsa, Fear gan creideamh is mé Anseo trí lá i ndiaidh Domhnach Cásca, Go mothaim go bhfuilim faoi ghlas In Ifreann éigin ar domhan Sa leabharlann seo gan tost, Na diabhail go léir im thimpeall Ag spalpadh bladhmanna cainte Is ag ligint pléascanna uathu Gach aon uair a bhogtar leathannach Is pé ama a osclaítear mála, Is gan aon aingeal coimhdeachta Chun suaimhneas a chothú.

Ah, Café On The Row. It's been a while. I've been here only once In two years, Twice if sitting outside With a smoking friend Counts as a visit. Today's too wet and grey For taking chairs outside, And neither of us smokes, So sitting in the warmth And colour inside suits us. It hasn't changed at all, Our old favourite place, Parisian aspirations in the décor More than in the menu, Although the brie goes well With Limerick ham and Red onion marmalade, And a garnish of Bitter-sweet memories.

This pen and note-book combo Is about as out of place In here tonight as any Artist's tools could ever be, The order of these lines and Careful placing of this ink At odds with groups hap-hazard Between tables and the bar, And yet as I sit writing, Avoiding parties, dance and smiles, These words come to me through the noise And pen meets paper easily.

Basking in the madness Of a bar at midnight, Band in full swing for the Four hen parties in the one place, A camera flashing every moment In one corner or another, Everyone a star aglow, Posing for the local paper, Table reservations for the VIPs, Shots and cocktails over-flowing, Shouting orders though the din, Singing along with the favourites, They shuffle and sway off the beat, Basking in the madness.

I can't write proper poems to you yet. I do not have the words, The years, the wisdom, The grim experience. This absolute finality Is such that I have not Within my mind or heart The reason nor the wish To accept that you are gone. Years ago your smile was my delight And I kept a picture of Your stunning eyes. Such eyes will never smile again, And only memories and pictures Hold your brilliance within.

I keep trying to shut you out, dear girl, And yet you try again to slink back in With softly spoken words and messages And hints of thoughts of times best left behind. I feel stronger when I don't reminisce About the nights when we first danced and kissed, Sleep better when you are not on my mind. What might have been I'd rather not imagine. I'd sooner tell you let your sails unfurl So you might drift away and not be missed. But, such a thing to say would be unkind, And so the dark and winding passages Are still haunted by pictures of your face And bitter memories of your embrace.