Iomramh - Stephen James Smith @SJSwords

www.stephenjam...
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/ sjswords
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--
Facebook video:
/ 10159246190750022
Thanks to:
Listowel Writers’ Week
writersweek.ie
Cill Rialaig Artist Retreat, Ballinskelligs, Co. Kerry
cillrialaigart...
Myles O’Reilly
arbutusyarns.net
Donal Dineen
/ donaldineen
Cormac Begley & Brendan Begley
www.cormacbegle...
Kerry CoCo
www.kerrycoco.i...
Dedicated to Kerry poet Domhnall Mac Síthigh (Danny Sheehy)
#StephenJamesSmith #Poetry #Poet #​Dublin ​#Irish #SpokenWord

[@lothrienshadowdancer1570]

This poet has just been recommended to me; I am very glad that they did, this is a very beautiful piece of work.

[@karolspeight1968]

Love it pal

[@sjswords]

Thanks @karolspeight1968

[@frckasti2148]

A man goes to the coast of an island to be alone.
He has gone as far as he can,
for now.
It’s called retreat.
A great distance is not always far enough,
when the mind is as restless as the ocean you’re sleeping beside.
This man in seeking solitude
and in doing so has brought the loneliness into his own heart.
Sure he knew this would be the way of it,
but he still put one foot in front of the other.
You’ve to face it sometimes
learn...
The barren landscape has seen worse,
he reminds himself
of the continued struggle and erosion
that is life.
He thinks that's a cliched metaphor,
a famine village is deserving of more.
He looks out at the ocean all too often,
The primal part in him wanting to rage in the deep blue.
Yesterday was Valentine’s Day
and around the table he was told a tragic love story
of a man, who after he buried his love,
climbed to the top of Bolus Head
and through himself to the depths.
After this story, the man made the same trek.
It would be so easy to climb the rock walls,
pass by the sheep in the fields, and dive
never submitting, but knowing it's a fight never to be won
once submerged.
There’s something honest in that though
he thinks,
is there?
Never submitting.
Those rocks are patient hunters,
how much violence have they caused by simple stillness.
Then birdsong called through the air,
like so many times, it has called him away from a dark edge,
like so many times, it is the simple things in his life that save him;
fond memories, curiosity,
he could have sworn
he saw the Fibonacci Sequence in a spider web earlier,
this reminded him.
Those rocks can wait for now.
Instead he’ll walk into the wind,
which numbed his face yesterday,
while a warm heart pounds on beneath all the layers.
You can go so far and it’s never enough.
You can learn to be still and it’ll come to you.
You can think of moving rocks,
battling nature,
or arranging words in some fashion aiming for legacy.
This is redundant.
You fucking know this.
Leave your ego at this pagan peninsula,
echoes of trauma are just that,
time for silence.
You are here.
It’s sunny outside.
The man notices the bruise on his knee is fading,
the salted air is already healing.
Later he’ll eat eggs and light a fire.
Later good things will come to pass.
He remembers this right now,
as he sit still, warming his feet,
ready to wander...

[@sjswords]

Glad it resonated with you!

[@frckasti2148]

@@sjswords One of my videos ... :-) ua-cam.com/video/lcfFyTicVvw/v-deo.html

[@robsmith7567]

I really like this kind of poetry.

[@michaelatherton1858]

You are one of this age's great poets. Never forget that those of us who are not are awakened by your words and being.

[@sjswords]

Thanks Michael, I don't concern myself with any of that stuff. I just need to focus on my own growth and art. Thanks for the kind words though!

[@wallzorz50]

I had the great good fortune to see you perform in Dublin in May. I was stunned by the poem "My Ireland" and have watched the video a dozen times. This is wonderful. Lonely and true.

[@sjswords]

Thanks pal!

[@cormaclally9288]

Nice work dude

[@nicolelochren9560]

Put on this video by accident and I was pleasantly surprised how beautiful and haunting.

[@sjswords]

Thanks for watching Nicole!

[@aletheiatheosophy6275]

Please publish more. I rarely follow anything, however this art/heart that comes from you is profound.

[@cormaclally9288]

Lovely tribute dude. Mhaith tú

[@sjswords]

GRMA a cara x

[@ericamannea8148]

I love these words

[@sjswords]

Thanks Erica!

[@eoingleeson8994]

Just beautiful.

[@noelgilmore595]

Powerful expression through words and imagery

[@lisadee1385]

beautiful, just like a butterfly

[@DylanWalshe]

Good man

[@sjswords]

Thanks Dylan!

[@springersedawn]

Beautiful.

[@michealcuddihy7008]

Is there a full version of the song at the end ?

[@sjswords]

It's on Brendan Begley's album 'Fé Scáth / In the Shadow'. Hope that helps.

[@michealcuddihy7008]

@@sjswords thank you !

[@chipm1040]

Luv it

[@sjswords]

Thanks!

[@watchdog3640]

"Leave your ego at this pagan peninsula." Great poem and video. Thank you.

[@sjswords]

Thanks, glad you connected with it!