Jean Tuomey was born in Sligo and grew up in Dundalk. She taught French and English at secondary level for over twenty years in Castlebar. She now facilitates creative writing groups in Mayo and has studied writing facilitation under the National Association of Poetry Therapy in the States. She was short listed in the Iyeats poetry competition 2009, highly commended in 2009 Strokestown poetry competition, short listed in Over the Edge 2010 poetry and 2nd in the Fish Poetry competition 2011.
A poem by Jean Tuomey
Absolute Magnitude
how bright a star would look if it were 32.6 light years from Earth
October
and he is light years away,
further than the moon,
more distant than the stars.
I asked a friend how she pierced the celestial sphere –
request a feather.
Today I found one
on the grey gravel
by my car door.
Reassurance,
more in keeping than an email.
The Galway Review 