Fatal Shot
by Rody Gorman
Lynchehaun, that is tedious,
I don’t have time to talk,
Ronan won’t le me trust anybody,
It’s he who’s put me in this condition.
I took a fatal shot
In the midst of the battle at Ronan
That pierced the precious bell that hung
Round the cleric’s neck.
As I made the brilliant spear-cast
From the midst of battle at Ronan,
He said ‘From now on,
You’ll be among the birds of the air.’
Then I rose up
Up into the ether,
Never in my life did I leap
A leap that was lighter.
If it was on the glorious morning
On the Tuesday or Monday,
Nobody would be prouder than me
Beside a young soldier of my people.
I marvel at the thing I see,
Man who gave today shape,
The hag’s rags on the floor,
Lynchehaun’s two swift eyes.
| Extract from forthcoming Sweeney: an intertonguing by Rody Gorman | |
|---|---|
Rody Gorman’s Sweeney, An Intertonguing is published this spring by Francis Boutle Publishers. The work is multilingual version of Buile Shuibhne, in English, Irish, Scottish and Manx Gaelic with lingua gadelica, phonemic pieces and round-trip translations. Pre-publication reactions to the work have been full of praise, with words such as ‘extraordinary’, ‘masterpiece’ and ‘magnificent’ used by more than one eminent commentator. Ed. | |
| Bás Gan Sagart | Poem by Rody Gorman |
| Cuckoo! | Poem by Rody Gorman |
| Curse | Poem by Rody Gorman |
| Dear to me | Poem by Rody Gorman |
| Fatal Shot | Poem by Rody Gorman |
| Hag of the Mill | Poem by Rody Gorman |
| In Battle | Poem by Rody Gorman |
| Madman of the Glen | Poem by Rody Gorman |
| Moylinney | Poem by Rody Gorman |
| My Night In Kildervila | Poem by Rody Gorman |
| Myself and Yourself | Poem by Rody Gorman |
| There | Poem by Rody Gorman |
| Young Men | Poem by Rody Gorman |