Dennis O’Driscoll is among the finest poets of his generation. He is also one of the most respected of Ireland’s poetry critics.
Someone
someone is dressing up for death today, a change of skirt or tie
eating a final feast of buttered sliced pan, tea
scarcely having noticed the erection that was his last
shaving his face to marble for the icy laying out
spraying with deodorant her coarse armpit grass
someone today is leaving home on business
saluting, terminally, the neighbours who will join in the cortege
someone is paring his nails for the last time, a precious moment
someone’s waist will not be marked with elastic in the future
someone is putting out milkbottles for a day that will not come
someone’s fresh breath is about to be taken clean away
someone is writing a cheque that will be rejected as ‘drawer deceased’
someone is circling posthumous dates on a calendar
someone is listening to an irrelevant weather forecast
someone is making rash promises to friends
someone’s coffin is being sanded, laminated, shined
who feels this morning quite as well as ever
someone if asked would find nothing remarkable in today’s date
perfume and goodbyes her final will and testament
someone today is seeing the world for the last time
as innocently as he had seen it first
If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my RSS feed
Save a Blogger from Begging: Buy Books:
Signed first editions
at special prices.
Subscribe to posts
Nov 6th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
John, it’s so nice to see one of Dennis’ poems here. He’s a hugely gifted poet and I love his work.
jb says: Thanks, Sinéad. Good to hear from you, too. I got stuck on your blog; could’ve been there all afternoon but I managed to squirm my way free (for now at least).
Nov 20th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
This is one of my all-time favourite poems. I used it in a poetry appreciation assignment as part of my degree at University. I love Dennis’ style and look forward to reading more of his work.