Kevin McManus is a poet-writer from Carrigallen in county Leitrim.

He has published six novels, a short story collection, and several novellas.

Lapwing Publications have recently published a new collection of Kevin’s poetry entitled: “The Hawthorn Tree”.

A Winter’s Tale

Through tired, old eyes he watched the light
shine from the tree a piercing white,
and listened to the church bells song
and the Christian choir that sang along,
excited youths rushed through the street
to crash with everyone, they meet
counting down the days and nights
until opening presents with wide delights,
lovers linked in a tight embrace
with joy etched bright across their face,
but he staggered on through the dark
to reach is home across the park,
he turned the key
and forced the door
and found no cards upon the floor,
taking the end of the bottle from the shelf
he sat on the chair all by himself
and in the morning strewn everywhere
photos of loved ones no longer there
a body stiff upon the chair
and in his hand a girl in blue
an image of a girl he once knew.