Fred Johnston (born 1951) is an Irish poet, novelist, literary critic and musician. He is the founder and current director of the Western Writers’ Centre in Galway. He co-founded the Irish Writers’ Co-operative in 1974, and founded Galway’s annual Cúirt International Festival of Literature in 1986. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Johnston_(writer)
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A poem for You
Do not tell me my name
Only my tongue is strong enough to carry it
Do not open my door
My heart alone has the key
Do not measure my acre
Only my stride is long enough
Do not look over my wall
Only these eyes can see that far
Do not stare at my children
For only my eyes can see them
Do not plough my fields
For my earth will not yield to you
Do not harm my tree
For it is watered by my blood
Do not wound my flesh
For the mark is inscribed on your soul
Do not offer words to humble me
For no language can drown out my shout
Do not tell me where I live
For I know every inch of my own flesh
Do not call me invisible
You cannot see the wind when it blows
Do not offer me vinegar for wine
Nothing is as bitter as the taste in my mouth
Do not offer me sand for bread
For I will make bread even from sand
Do not tell me who I am
For I am written in the book of the world.
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*{Written for the recent visit of the Lajee Dabka Dancers to Galway. The troupe comes from the Aida refugee camp in Palestine.}
The Galway Review 