Skylight With A View

On Saturday the weather was becoming changable, with rain flicking the windows sporadically. I woke to this wonderful view from my window. There's something in it that distils my sense of the Irish midlands; you can smell the Full Irish Breakfast waiting downstairs in the large. refurbished diningroom, below that fancy skylight (not the skylight the title refers to).

I attended some of the readings by other shortlisted poets, one of whom was Eric Ormsby, an American poet whom I later met with his wife Erinna, both very interesting, multi-talented people (Erinna is involved in architecture, passionate about her work and art generally). Later, I went to readings by poets Michael O'Loughlin and Gerry Murphy, whom I hadn't heard before. The readings were held in the big Strokestown Park House, big windows full of leafy evening light and sheep wandering about, cropping the grass; both Michael and Gerry read well.

Saturday really merged with Sunday, so I now have to try to disentangle my impressions: readings, talk, food, drink, talk, drink, drink, drink... Enjoyed talking and hanging out with Peter and Enda, Michael Schmidt, Sheila O'Hagen, Rod (?), Michael O'Loughlin and his wife, Judith Mok, Pat Boran, Gerry Murphy and (on Sunday evening) one of the prizewinners, Victoria, and her friend Niall.

My cousin Pat joined me on Sunday afternoon. As one of the shortlisted poets, I gave a reading on Sunday morning, which went well I think, though now I wonder about one of the poems, 'Adorned', a lustful ode to voluptuopus women (and flesh itself really). I wonder if it isn't a bit too pleased with itself, and whether it should be in the second collection. Ah well, too late now.

A little tense waiting to see who'd win, then relaxed again when, as I'd expected, my poem didn't fetch a prize. Great to have my cousin there. Late drinking again, then bed finally aroung 2 a.m. The best image is, I think, the one above, from the skylight in the toilet of the hotel. My old friend the crow entered the composition once more, to curve it into shape.