Seed

Thanks to @CelizMurray who tweeted out a series of links each featuring an Irish woman poet.

‘Seed’, by Paula Meehan

01/12/2013 · by C. Murray

” The first warm day of spring
and I step out into the garden from the gloom
of a house where hope had died

to tally the storm damage, to seek what may
have survived. And finding some forgotten
lupins I’d sown from seed last autumn
holding in their fingers a raindrop each
like a peace offering, or a promise,

I am suddenly grateful and would

offer a prayer if I believed in God.
But not believing, I bless the power of seed,
its casual, useful persistence,
and bless the power of sun,

its conspiracy with the underground,
and thank my stars the winter’s ended.”

‘Seed’ is © Paula Meehan, all rights reserved.

‘Seed’ is taken from  Mysteries of the Home by Paula Meehan, which will be re-issued in February 2013 byDedalus Press. Dedalus release notes for Mysteries of the Home are added here. Mysteries Of The Home was first published in 1996 by Bloodaxe Books. It will be re-issued under the Dedalus Press imprint in February 2013.

Thanks to Paula Meehan for suggesting the poems and to Dedalus editor, Pat Boran, for facilitating my queries regarding having a poem by Paula on Poethead. I had wanted one for some time and I am delighted to add Paula Meehan to my Index of Women Poets.