*

The china

our mother brought out

for the clergy

bore a faint whiff of Flit insecticide

from the plywood back

of the walnut cabinet.

 

That china,

thin as eggshell,

brought images of afternoon tea

in great Irish houses,

or mischief

in Maugham’s colonial homes.

Such china —

an inquisitive boy could

be scorched

by blue dragons

or drown

in its depths of red and gold.

*

Biography

Louis Mulcahy is a potter who writes poetry. His work has been published widely in quality publications and read on RTE1, Lyric Radio and Radio na Gaeltachta. He has three collections of Poetry one in Irish and two in English, all published by An Sagart Publications.  He has served as Chairman of the Crafts Council of Ireland and of Samhlaíocht Chiarraí. He holds an Honorary Doctorate from the National University of Ireland. He is married to the tapestry artist Lisbeth Mulcahy.