New Poetry by Donal Mahoney

Beowulf with Dr. Engelhardt

When Normal Norman takes his seat

in Room 220 in Dumbach Hall

to hear the eminent Dr. Engelhardt

recite Beowulf again,

Norman knows that he can suck

the boredom from the hour

  

if he can write a poem for his wife

better than the one he gave her yesterday.

This time, however, no poem comes

  

and so he knows that he must choose

one of the tricks he's used before

to drown out Beowulf again--to wit,

  

he can say the rosary till the bell rings,

sketch his wife's magnificent ass

or write something strange like this.

- Donal Mahoney 2013

Nominated for Best of the Net and Pushcart prizes, Donal Mahoney has had work published in Bluepepper and other print and electronic publications in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa.