While poet Laoighseach Ní Choistealbha has had many poems published over the years in publications such as Comhar, Feasta, Éigse Éireann, ANEAS and The Waxed Lemon, this is her first published poetry collection. It is also the first poetry collection to be published by Barzaz. It is a hefty collection and is divided into two sections: ‘Solas Geimhridh’ (21 poems) and ‘Dánta Eile’ (54 poems). It is physically and visually a beautiful publication with its black hard cover and yellow ribbon bookmark. The white silhouette of half a bare tree comes out from the spine of the book and there is a gold foil moon (or is it the sun?) gleaming next to it.
Before the poems is a brilliantly original foreword where the poet questions whether the poem will stab you in the middle of the night, or if you will make good bedfellows. The reader is invited to ‘bain plaic as, cogain. Lig don tsú sileadh ó do smig’.
From the Lagan area of east Donegal, Laoighseach now lives in Carna in the Connemara Gaeltacht. As a result of this journey, she discusses the experience of learning and speaking Irish as a second language, describing it as a cuckoo’s egg in her mouth. The distance she feels from her homeplace is expressed in poems also: : ‘táim i bhfad ón bhaile gan ainm baile’ and ‘i bhfad as an áit seo ár ndúchais’. Place has a central role in the poems as we see the influence of Conamara on the poet. Local placenames such as Róisín na Mainiach, Cnoc Mordán, Cloch na Rón and Maínis amongst others are mentioned. The poet has a clear love of nature, making references to her surroundings from the bog, the graveyard, weather, to the old mill, blackberries and flowers.
A strong theme throughout is that of the woman’s experience and the physicality of the human body. Laoighseach discusses the worry and fear on finding a lump in her breast, ‘Tá cnó faoi ithir a craicinn: ní fios fós cad a fhásfaidh.’ There is powerful imagery in this collection such as in the poem Sa tSeomra Ultrafhuaime Dom where she describes being afloat in the ultrasound machine as being like ‘iasc sa tanc, leanbh sa bhroinn, smaoineamh sa bhlaosc.’ She doesn’t shy from the bare truths and revealing the dark thoughts she experienced in her fear of a bad diagnosis, ‘agus mé chomh cnápánach lofa le bainne géaraithe’. The language is blunt and economical with no word wasted. There is emphasis on physicality, the body and health issues: ‘dá bhféadfainn ualach na fisiciúlachta a chaitheamh uaim mar a bheadh fallaing…uch, dá bhféadfainn!’ She shines a light on her own personal experiences with periods especially in the poems Tuile, Trá, Íomhánna Fola, An Chéad Smearadh and Glanadh.
The poet writes equally as powerful and polished while addressing a wide range of themes. Another theme she focuses on is that of love. When discussing this theme, she makes a number of references to religion and spirituality with fantastic metaphors in Cóineartu Saolta ‘d’éirigh túis an chraicinn i ndorchadas an chlub oíche…thuirling coil mar chnámh m’uchta’. And in the poem Dara Comaoineach, ‘cuimlím clocha mo phaidrín nua: cnámha do dhroma.’
Sometimes the poems are so personal and insightful that the experience is almost akin to reading the diary of the author. However, with sharp wit and a fantastic sense of self-awareness she almost reminds us that she knows we are there: ‘maith dom é – níor chuir suaimhneas riamh peann ar phár.’
This collection gives readers pause for thought about the wonders and simple pleasures of life and lots of questions and themes are left open for our interpretation. There are no particular conclusions or answers in the poems, however the conclusion of the collection certainly ends on a strong note with the fantastic ‘I dTeach na Teanga’. It is clear the poet has had fun with magic, imagination, metaphors and imagery in this award-winning poet. Having taken a bite out of this collection, it is certain to leave readers hungry for more from this poet.
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