Jessica Traynor was awarded the 2023 O'Shaughnessy Poet Award by the University of St. Thomas Center for Irish Studies. Watch an interview and reading from the event: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5dVDJ_Lq6qo.html
Oh Tess! How exciting that you are in Sligo. I was through there once upon a time. Best seafood chowder in the entire world and the old cafe, tea house. Your poems I heard you read in maybe 1983 in Eugene. Love you so much. You once said to me: Writing will always wait for you. ~ thanks for that. ~ Lizzie
GOLGOTHA BELOVE'DS AMEN'S MERCY CORE FLAME DAME'S NOTHING MAN CAN DO TO MAN THAT DOES NO REAL LASTING GOOD ONCE THAT ONE FUDGE'D WHEN IT CAME TOO FUN FUN OF LOOSEING ONE'S MUM FROM A NEAR CONSTANT FINDING SUM WHILE IN NO KNOWN SHAPE MAKEING FOR A HONEST HUM
Enchanting, melancholic, reflective, amusing, observant, all read with heart, a feast for the soul, rounded off beautifully by tinkling notes. Thank you all.
The poet is from another country. He or she is from the country of what the Indian mystic Kabir called the “country of the sky”, the country of the wide open expanse, without the markings or divisions of national borders, caste or class. It is the freedom of the spirit to soar above narrow perspectives. However, one needs a dual citizenship. One above in that realm of the sky, and the below in the world of definitions, passports and citizenship. And poetry is the bridge that connects the two. A wonderful collection of poems. I like the musicality of your language.
Even more relevant today and he was reciting it in 1991!A man ahead of his time. Thank you for the lyrics and the revolutionary sentiment, Mr Zephaniah.
