University of St. Thomas (Center for Irish Studies)

FIRST SPRING DAYSAuthor(s): Justin QuinnSource: New Hibernia Review / Iris Éireannach Nua, Vol. 13, No. 1 (EARRACH / SPRING 2009),p. 43Published by: University of St. Thomas (Center for Irish Studies)Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25660847 .

Accessed: 12/06/2014 17:19

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

.

University of St. Thomas (Center for Irish Studies) is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extendaccess to New Hibernia Review / Iris Éireannach Nua.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 188.72.126.181 on Thu, 12 Jun 2014 17:19:01 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

FiHocht Nua: New Poetry

ON HEARING IRISH SPOKEN IN SOUTH DUBLIN

The whole Victorian terrace changes tint

like when clouds go or come, a hint

or Chinese whisper, a catch deep in the lungs. Thoughts float between the two official tongues like oysters changing sex with changing seasons on rocks that steeply shelve into the ocean.

Lift up the shell and sluice one down your throat, and through the darker months your soul goes fluid. It spills its love about day after day of this Atlantic island, sweet and gay.

FIRST SPRING DAYS

Out walking with one child in a papoose, the other by the hand, cool in a hood and throwing questions and some mild abuse,

we came upon two lovers in the wood.

We slowed to give them time, as we'd reckoned

we couldn't turn. They rose, a little coy,

and as we passed our eyes locked for a second,

on either side of that explosive joy.

43

This content downloaded from 188.72.126.181 on Thu, 12 Jun 2014 17:19:01 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions