Poem
Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh
St Nick’s
It’s all red and smoky blacknessin St Nick’s underground,
blackness and velvety red.
Man no man
could resist this music’s
pull through velveteen drapes.
Beyond it is like some urban Eden:
the tobacco-sweet air
sweetened with whisperings,
the bass’s vibrations
in drones of pleasure
racing right through you,
the brush-licked cymbals,
the stiff brushes
caressing stretched skin,
the wet mouth open,
the trumpet lifted toward it.
Black and velvet red.
© Translation: 2010, Billy Ramsell
Publisher: first published in The Stinging Fly, Dublin, 2010
Publisher: first published in The Stinging Fly, Dublin, 2010
St Nick’s
St Nick’s
Dorcha is deargin íoslach St. Nick’s,
dearg is dorcha.
Mheallfadh an ceol seo
aon anam naofa
ag gabháil thar bráid,
San Éidin uirbeach laistiar
tá an t-aer milis
le deatach is cogarnaíl,
Cuireann dordgháirí
tonnchreathanna suáilce
ag dordán tríot,
Tá scuabanna righne
ag muirniú drumaí,
ag griogadh ciombal,
Tá troimpéad á ardú
chuig béilín fliuch,
dearg is dorcha.
© 2010, Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh
Publisher: first published in The Stinging Fly, Dublin
Publisher: first published in The Stinging Fly, Dublin
Poems
Poems of Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh
Close
St Nick’s
It’s all red and smoky blacknessin St Nick’s underground,
blackness and velvety red.
Man no man
could resist this music’s
pull through velveteen drapes.
Beyond it is like some urban Eden:
the tobacco-sweet air
sweetened with whisperings,
the bass’s vibrations
in drones of pleasure
racing right through you,
the brush-licked cymbals,
the stiff brushes
caressing stretched skin,
the wet mouth open,
the trumpet lifted toward it.
Black and velvet red.
© 2010, Billy Ramsell
Publisher: 2010, first published in The Stinging Fly, Dublin
Publisher: 2010, first published in The Stinging Fly, Dublin
St Nick’s
It’s all red and smoky blacknessin St Nick’s underground,
blackness and velvety red.
Man no man
could resist this music’s
pull through velveteen drapes.
Beyond it is like some urban Eden:
the tobacco-sweet air
sweetened with whisperings,
the bass’s vibrations
in drones of pleasure
racing right through you,
the brush-licked cymbals,
the stiff brushes
caressing stretched skin,
the wet mouth open,
the trumpet lifted toward it.
Black and velvet red.
© 2010, Billy Ramsell
Publisher: 2010, first published in The Stinging Fly, Dublin
Publisher: 2010, first published in The Stinging Fly, Dublin
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