Ireland's OWN Poetry and Prose

Father, Soldier
—by Míchealín Daugherty

There, alone in the dark,
In the tepid air and candlelight,
Amid the humming of a helo above,
Amid the drumming of the bins below,
I saw you so clearly—
Your eyes awash with tenderness.
I saw your hands try to lift me,
I could almost touch you,
I could almost smell you,
(tobaccocolognegunpowdersweetsugarytartlemonjellies)
Then when you came close enough
To enshroud me
I knew your death
(or the cold chill of it).