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"Playground", "On The Edge" & "Heavens Open" by Melanie Joy



Playground


I lie In a basket

swinging,

looking at the clouds,

feeling a chilblain

of sun on my face.

Watching an Irish flag

wave its patriot colours.

I Hear a distant tinkling

a cow bell ringing.

‘Hey diddle diddle

The cow jumped

over the moon.’

Baby bunting

floating

downstream.

Diddums.

The boisterous

noise of the boys

playing calls

me back.

‘Laughing

To see such

 a sport.’

shooting

like stars

down the slide.



On The Edge


Weekends spent

on the edge

of bouncy castles,

gathering muddy

socks and shoes.

Soccer pitches,

watching balls

fly left and right.

On the orbit

of playgrounds,

pushing swings.

Swimming pool

changing rooms,

holding towels.

Waiting aside,

head left behind.



Heavens Open


I rest my finger tips

upon my breast bone,

just below my clavicle.

I feel crumbling, a silted

river bed. Rain pits the

windows. My stomach

chamber raises its

roof to meet the pouring

heavens. Like the

Pantheon we stumbled

into once, tipsy in Rome.

Arching our necks back

to look at the circle

of blue sky, streaming

light through its open

belly button oculus.

My heart for once,

does not want to

river free. It holds firm

and full, a ripening plum.

I hear the walls begin

to crack and crumble.

Hands fumble for pen,

paper, light to write

this down.





Melanie is finding her way back to words through poetry. A born lover of words and avid dictionary reader, during Covid, she immersed herself in others’ poetry reaping the healing salve of shared experiences over space and time. Poetry seemed to whisper to her soul of a wider connection to the world and all that’s living in it. Recently discovering her own voice, Melanie has completed a four month mentorship bursary through the Kerry Arts Council with Máire Holmes, has been widely published in respected literary magazines and journals and is completing her debut collection under the guidance of Rachel Long. Melanie is looking forward to sharing her poetry through spoken word events.

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