The Heelers Diaries

the fantasy world of ireland's greatest living poet

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Location: Kilcullen (Phone 087 7790766), County Kildare, Ireland

Saturday, November 04, 2006

a challenge to poets

what are we who immortalise
steel and concrete vanities
of three words given
we are one word
poets artists mathematicians

we have lost the courage
to feel without thinking
to think without gauging cost
come my lords
rally round the cross
with keats kavanagh and old cervantes
mystical romantic or heartbroken
we'll shake the pillars of this concrete heaven

Thursday, November 02, 2006

A BIT IRISH (by Medbh Gillard and James Healy)

"Is urgies a word?"

the eagle has landed

Mags Masefield exits the bedroom, arms piled high with items of my clothing.
She meets me in the hall.
I resist the urge to salute.
She favours me with a look that is positively devilish.
"Are you letting your dog sleep on all the beds now?" she enquires briskly as she disappears up the stairs.
I am for a moment too moved to answer.
Later the Mammy finds me engaged in the time honoured practice of grinding my teeth in the kitchen.
"I see you're still full of working class solidarity for the cleaning lady," chuckles the aged parent.
My face is a study.
"Liller old pal," I reply, "she's starting to seriously annoy the young master of the house."

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

moments

Up at six am to do a bit of arteekling. (The process of writing newspaper articles.)
Few hours sleep and then quick skite to South Kildare for coffees with German Andrea.
Return to the Chateau de Healy for tug of love with Yogic sister Marie over the Mammy. The Mammy settles tug of love by opting to have lunch with the Yoganaut instead of me. No accounting.
My nephews arrive over and give me a hug.
On to Dublin.
La belle Arabe in Stephen's Green Cafe looking very belle indeed. Me reading a newspaper and doodling. On one of the advertising pages there is a large pic of a baby on a white background. I give the baby a speech balloon containing the slogan in big black letters "As Salaam," which is Arabic for howya.
I then pretend to read the paper with the baby page facing LBA.
When I glance over the top she is laughing fit to burst a gasket.
Truly I am a man of simple pleasures.
Lu Yi arrives. She asks what I am doing for Halloween. Somewhat self pityingly I tell her I have no plans.
Quaff coffees.
I text my cousin Annie (the artist formerly known as Sculpticus) in Spain. I want her to translate a piece of Spanish for me. A charming Spanish person has recently introduced me to this particular phrase. Annie texts back that the phrase is a vulgarism akin to the demotic Anglo Saxon f word so beloved of English speakers.
It is indeed a rum world.
Ring the Brezzer. She is singing at a charity event next week. There's talk that I might read poems. I might if they pay me 500 squid.
Charity begins at the chateau, as we do say in the trade.
Arf, arf.
An hour in the library on Henry Street, putting finishing touches to the great Irish novel.
Soon European literature will be complete.
Collect my car about 8pm and get ready for home.
Fireworks are going off all over the city.
A thought strikes me.
I drive my car to the top level of the carpark which is actually on the roof of the Stephen's Green centre.
I am alone there. No one else has thought of this.
On four sides I can see the fireworks rising and bursting in the heavens all around Dublin.
Down towards the river, the pyramid shaped Ulster Bank building is outlined in red. A burst of green shimmers behind the trade union owned Liberty Hall tower. From the social housing blocks close on my left a veritable storm of incandescent light erupts. Over my shoulder a series of cannonades cascade coloured flame from a dozen different locations in the suburbs. The shimmering airbursts seem to stretch all the way to the Wicklow mountains which ring this city. The cacophony is tremendous. Fireworks of every hue are blurring in the skies all around.
At this moment the bells of Christchurch ring out pure and clear and valorous, gilding the din with glory.
And I give thanks to God for the gift of life.

Sunday, October 29, 2006

october