Some girls have hairs on their heads,
Artful girls have hares in their hearts

Cailín óg álainn is ea mé anois
Ach ní fhada na blianta ag sleamhú thart
Agus ansin beidh buanna eile uaim
Seachas an fholt ógra, an béilín binn.
Is ansin a thiocaidh mo ghiorra i gcabhair orm
an lá úd a déanfar cailleach den gcailín.

Agus rachaimid amach, an beirt againn,
Maidin Bealtine ag breachadh an lae
Ag crú an uachtair ós na bá sna páirceanna,
Ag crú na greinne, ag crú na bláthanna
Ag crú an samhraidh, agus na samhlaíochta.

(Le Eilis Ní Dhuibhne)

This Poem accompanied an exhibition by Alice Maher which showed in the RHA Gallery in Ely Place last year. The top floor of The Night Garden exhibition was a series of wall art based in Imagery inspired by The medieval bestiary and The Garden of Earthly Delights. The book of Poems and collaborative Art by Maher and Dhuibhne is entitled The Night Garden, Mark my Words

The accompanying art work is based in the women’s collaboration and is in pen and ink; and charcoal. I got mine when I attended and am unaware if the poems have been published for a book-buying market. I should hope they have ‘cos they are really good.

The Night Garden, Images by Alice Maher and Poems “Mark my Words”, by Eilis Ní Dhuibhne.

Alice Maher’s Chaplet image.