“Moher” by Richard Ryan

The earth is
round all
right, but here

earth ends, thick
tongues of mist
licking the ledge.

A hiss- the
sea breathing?
That crying is not birds…..

Thrown up screaming,
a chough, its claws
and beak blazing-

it grabs at light,
then topples shrieking
down out of the world.

 Moher by Richard Ryan, from Ravenswood by Richard Ryan, Dolmen Press , 1973 Distributed outside of Ireland by OUP