The following is a sample of three poems available from the Irish Poetry Reading Archive. Links to other poems by Bernadette are available on the page 'Published Poems'.
Bernadette reads Father to Daughter for the Irish Poetry Reading Archive, University College Dublin. This poem is based on her experience of leaving Ireland to live and work in Baghdad in the early 1980s. This recording of an earlier version of Father to Daughter was first published by editor, Christine Murray, on Poethead in 2017. The revised version appears below.
Father to Daughter
For Rafiq Kathwari
Do you realise there is a war
going on? I didn’t.
going on? I didn’t.
Used to being stopped
at security checkpoints
at security checkpoints
Strabane – Aughnacloy.
Sounds of war do not
stifle a 22-year old.
stifle a 22-year old.
Lights out, blinds down
pretend we are invisible
as our plane prepares to land.
pretend we are invisible
as our plane prepares to land.
At work Ahmed pours sweet tea -
small glass too hot to hold.
small glass too hot to hold.
An Arab friend gently plucks
stray hairs from my face
working thread with fingers.
stray hairs from my face
working thread with fingers.
High fashion – hand made
from Burda patterns – covered
for Mosque with Abaya.
from Burda patterns – covered
for Mosque with Abaya.
Five women dressed in black
on our way to Gaylani Mosque.
on our way to Gaylani Mosque.
A letter goes astray to Tehran
but finds me safe on Haifa Street
but finds me safe on Haifa Street
Baghdad.
(c) Bernadette Gallagher
Bernadette introduces and reads an earlier version of Christ is Risen for the Irish Poetry Reading Archive at University College Dublin.
Christ is Risen
With hope we came to the cave;
to find an impostor preaching
words of fear and hate.
to find an impostor preaching
words of fear and hate.
“What would you do if Muslims
took over this country?”
took over this country?”
As Christ rose from the dead
We walked out of the church.
(c) Bernadette Gallagher
Bernadette introduces and reads an earlier version of Rosa for the Irish Poetry Reading Archive at University College Dublin. Rosa was first published in Boyne Berries in 2016 Editor: Orla Fay and
2nd publication by Poethead in 2017 Editor: Christine Murray.
Rosa
Do not prune the roses
said Vita Sackville-West
strung together let them grow
to four feet at best.
said Vita Sackville-West
strung together let them grow
to four feet at best.
Dig the hole deep
and fill with rotted waste
filtered by worms
to our taste.
The rose blossomed
in Istanbul, bringing squares
of pale pink tossed in ice
to tempt my love
in Istanbul, bringing squares
of pale pink tossed in ice
to tempt my love
until death cuts off a branch
dropping
a single white flower
below.
(c) Bernadette Gallagher
