Des Donnelly
I am a contemporary Irish poet born (Nov, 1955) in County Tyrone in north Ireland.
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I have a special regard and admiration for the poet scorned or persecuted in their lifetime, among these are the Russian, Marina Tsvetaeva, the Czech poet Vladimir Holan and the Monaghan man, Patrick Kavanagh. I take only joy from the recognition awarded to Irish poets John Montague and Seamus Heaney and like many many thousands of people globally I gain great pleasure and inspiration from their poetry.
I am particularly interested in the Russian Acmeist movement and especially the Russian poet, Anna Akhmatova. I can say that I had not read anything until I read these lines from her poem Requiem;-
"In those years only the dead smiled,
Glad to be at rest:
And Leningrad city swayed like
A needless appendix to its prisons."
My focus is on the immediacy of poetry, the emotion or reaction consigned to paper and indicative of the moment of love or hate or sadness or the mix of conflicting emotions that were the inspiration. A little of what I write I like and often readers of my poems express genuine appreciation..
.... what more can be expected in these transient times.
Des Donnelly
--
I am a contemporary Irish poet born (Nov, 1955) in County Tyrone in north Ireland.
--
I have a special regard and admiration for the poet scorned or persecuted in their lifetime, among these are the Russian, Marina Tsvetaeva, the Czech poet Vladimir Holan and the Monaghan man, Patrick Kavanagh. I take only joy from the recognition awarded to Irish poets John Montague and Seamus Heaney and like many many thousands of people globally I gain great pleasure and inspiration from their poetry.
I am particularly interested in the Russian Acmeist movement and especially the Russian poet, Anna Akhmatova. I can say that I had not read anything until I read these lines from her poem Requiem;-
"In those years only the dead smiled,
Glad to be at rest:
And Leningrad city swayed like
A needless appendix to its prisons."
My focus is on the immediacy of poetry, the emotion or reaction consigned to paper and indicative of the moment of love or hate or sadness or the mix of conflicting emotions that were the inspiration. A little of what I write I like and often readers of my poems express genuine appreciation..
.... what more can be expected in these transient times.
--
"Poets are not professional," said Akhmatova. "Yes, we know that.
It's like a camera. Like a nonexistent camera. They sit and fish; perhaps once a century they will catch something. They mainly fish for only an intonation; everything else is there. Painters, actors, singers these are all professionals; poets are catchers of intonations. If a poet wrote a poem today he has no idea whether he will write one tomorrow or really ever again."
Stanley Kunitz once said;
"Some days I have an obstinate fondness for all my poems.
Other days I dislike them intensely. "
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My work has been translated into Turkish by Dr. Nesrin Eruysal, published in an anthology of Tyrone poets and via Staxtes, Right Hand Pointing, Poetseers, New Mirage Journal. Years back I was a recipient of an award from the Arts Council for a collaboration with textile artist Clare McCarroll.
"Some days I have an obstinate fondness for all my poems.
Other days I dislike them intensely. "
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Des Donnelly @ Delphi  such a moment in ones life to stand in the circle at Delphi and listen to the shimmering heat |
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