Emma Clohessy being introduced to Creative Writing by UCC, has since published poems in the Holly Bough, anthology ‘Midleton Miscellany’, Poetry Ireland, the Evening Echo other journals and on-line literary press.

She lives in East Cork and is a Speech and Drama teacher with West London University and LAMDA.

Secrets inside Libraries

Spalted beech book endings, behind each shelf
set in pairs, opened to mirror wood threads,
pitch pine shelves separated into thirds
stack books across for Da, Ma and ourselves.
One green fabric hardback, gilded James Joyce
plays chamber music when opened and read
with strings of earth and air, my heart is fed
life, love and I wander rivers with your voice
shared in words. But who did you sign it to?
This D. O’ Doherty? With Nan’s warm hand
on my shoulder, ‘This book was my Granddad’s
from his library, a gift to me – now you know.’
With smiles we sit and read this April, while
Perry Como performs on my turntable.