Angela McCabe’s first poetry collection ‘Honeymoon in Coalisland’ was published in 2014 by Alba. Her second book is being published Autumn 2016.   She won the 2016 Listowel Poetry Collection Competition, Thomas McCarthy, judge, commented:
It is a selection of really wonderful poems, full of adroit observations, technical ease, and a fabulous humanity.……there’s wisdom here to accompany the song of life…….This is a beautiful, affirmative poetry
Angela was runner-up in the Allingham Poetry Competition.

Homeplace

One blow of a hammer
and our fountain flows again,

a night of rain
and flowers bloom.

Cupboard full,
beds slept in.

Scent of scones in the air.

But when I wake
and visit home,

the sheds are a garage.
the kitchen an office.

Men in a haze of smoke
drink tea with baps,

buttered and doughy,
doused in raspberry jam.

The girl’s room empty.
Even their spirits will not return

to bless the air.

Broken Winter

Birds sing a March song in January.
Grey sky spills steady rain,
silver as darning needles,
drench half alive roses.
Droplets on beetroot’s shrivelled leaves,
dazzling parsley, desecrating dill.

Give us snow, blankets of it,
to console and illuminate,
so birds can quit their forlorn song.

Let the dog skid on the lane.
Bring out the sleigh,
slide down the hill.

Let robins float
from golden clouds
and hop the windowsill.

Mountains vanish,
white flakes falling behind a pink sky,
enfold us beneath a pale moon.

We dream through ten hours of starlight.

Soul Time

After a busy day
you look for The Seven Sisters
from the garden,
car lights silent
on the mountain.

The grandchildren
have given up
the battle to stay awake.

You soak in the peace.
Watch clouds drift over the moon.
Your spirit free,
even from the ones you love.