Kevin McManus is a poet and writer from County Leitrim in Ireland. In 2021, he published a poetry collection entitled “The Hawthorn Tree” with Lapwing Publishers, Belfast. He has also had poems published in several international journals, including the London Grip, the Californian Catamaran, the Honest Ulsterman, the Fortnightly Review, the Galway Review, the Cormorant, Dreich, Impsired, the Lothlorien and An Aitiuil.
In 2022 his poem “Lost Souls” was adapted into a short film and won the Blissfest film festival in Chicago. The film was also a finalist in the Cork poetry film festival and the Drumshanbo written word festival. It was also selected for the Los Angeles poetry film festival. Kevin has also published six fiction novels. A new poetry collection entitled, A Cold Wind from the lake is currently in production.

On a September Saturday

Rain’s embrace, the earthy scent,
it gently fell upon the brown-leafed oak,
till branches swayed,
a steadfast sentinel of the ages,
a witness to a thousand stories,
a shelter for lovers and the lost.

In stillness draped,
the world beyond rested in calm repose,
cocooned in the placid rhythm,
the solace of the soft rain.

Within, an aged desk by the opened window,
ink-stained and scuffed, where tales were born,
Alice held her fountain pen, her soul’s key.

The soft patter of the breeze,
her soothing score,
leaves whispered,
in moments when the world withdrew.

The fountain began to flow,
with every stroke,
her pen danced,
a tale took flight,
worlds began to grow,
in this rainy, September dream,
leaves whispered her heart’s intent.

Lost in creation’s sweet embrace,
nature’s rhythms set the pace,
capturing the oak, the girl, the twilight.
Hours ebbed as day turned dark,
through woven words, she painted scenes,
September’s magic in her dreams.