Wake: Up to Poetry
Poem of the Week: “Áiféilín” by Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh
As Americans are celebrating all things Irish for St. Patrick’s Day this week, we’re featuring a poem written by one of “the finest young writers in the Irish language,” according to David Wheatley in The Wake Forest Series of Irish Poetry, Volume IV.
Áiféilín
Nílim chomh duairc
go bhfanfainn
fén duvet
ar feadh an lae;
sin áibhéil.
Níl ann ach gur
thug mo shúil
taithneamh éigin duit,
a stróinséir,
is gur fhágas
im’ dhiaidh thú
oíche aréir
agus go bhfuil
blas pórtair
is áiféala
im’ bhéal
ar maidin.
A Matter of Some Regret
No, I’m not so depressed
As to stay
Under the duvet
All day
That would be an exaggeration
It’s just that
My eye
Gladdened at the sight of you,
Stranger,
Left behind
Last night
And this morning
There’s a taste of stout
And regret
In my mouth
–Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh, translated by Gabriel Rosenstock
from The Wake Forest Series of Irish Poetry, Vol. IV (2017)
Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh
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