Laois 17th July 2021
Words Move in association with Dunamaise Arts Centre
Looking forward to heading to Laois, working with the lovely people at Dunamaise Arts Centre to bring our Van Sessions with Farah Elle and Jean O'Brien to community groups around the county. We regret that due to current guidelines, these are for invited groups only, but we look forward to coming back for more gigs soon. In the meantime, please enjoy Jean O'Brien's poem, newly commissioned for Words Move, here.
Jean O'Brien
Words Move in Emo Court
The morning radio announcing a light fog in Laois
makes me think of Emo Court with Gandon’s
grandeur, its flowering summer meadows, the lake
and statues shrouded, as if in a waking dream.
WHERE'LL WE'LL BE
Stop 1 Laois Music Centre
Stop 2 MY Creative Space
Stop 3 Poet's Cottage
How to Book: our Words Move Gigs in Co Laois are for invited community groups. We’re afraid due to current restrictions we can’t offer public events at this time for these events. We look forward to coming back soon! See Dunamaise's full programme of events by clicking below.
THE PERFORMERS
Jean O'Brien
Jean o’Brien’s last collection was her New & Selected Fish on a Bicycle (Salmon Pub. 2016/2018) Her new collection is due in autumn 2021 and is called Stars Burn Regardless. In 2005 she was the Writer in Residence for co Laois. She was awarded a Patrick Kavanagh Fellowship in 2017/18 and recently had a poem included by the Irish Ambassador to Washington in his women poets month in February. An Award winning poet she has won the presdigious Arvon International prize along with other awards, she holds a Master of Phil in cw/poetry from Trinity College, Dublin. Ireland.
Farah Elle
Farah Elle is a progressive Artist / Musician based in Dublin, whose distinctive voice reveals something of the beauty in the ephemeral everyday. Farah has eclectic influences, rich in Libyan echoes from her North African background. Her ethos as an Artist is to actively value the power of music and language as tools for progress and healing. Farah also holds music & wellness workshops to encourage people of all creeds to creatively express themselves and celebrate their identities. In the meantime, Farah Elle’s debut album 'FATIMA', named after her mother; is due for release in 2022.
POEM
Words Move in Emo Court
The morning radio announcing a light fog in Laois
makes me think of Emo Court with Gandon’s
grandeur, its flowering summer meadows, the lake
and statues shrouded, as if in a waking dream.
I see the avenue of giant red sequoias, bark aflame
they stretch proudly skywards. A drift of swans
corrals the man-made lake creating a white
chain-link fence. Dip your hand
into the absolute that is water and note
boatmen walking on its fragile skin, buoyed up
they perform their own miracle. Turn then
to the wildflower meadow, see iridescent
dragonflies flash by while wild orchids
with indecent purple lips seduce honey bees,
blown pods of spent flowers scatter
their seeds. All overseen by Demeter’s
daughter Persephone who holds her lichen furred
stone hands together as if preparing to gather
autumn in before she goes once more to ground.
Words move like clouds in passing seasons.
Jean O'Brien, 2021
More beautiful poetry always available on Poetry Ireland Here
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