New Poetry by Diarmuid ó Maolalaí

A place with rooms and windows

I'm not sure 
that I will ever 
stand this opulence. 
in the basement
there's a place to park 
my car. I pull up, park it
and bring things
to the elevator. this
is the basement
to my building
full of cars. this is where
my car will go
when I get here now
at night. upstairs

my wife stirs curry. our dog
looks out the window
at a view like lighted 
wax. we live now
in a place with rooms
and windows. we can finally
afford it, easily
and for the first time
without help.

things have changed
so recently - 
so rapidly I can't 
understand. for years 
I lived in small rooms
with waterstains,
a bed in the corner
and fridges 
that didn't reach 
my waist.

I feel like a flower
which has grown 
to be replanted. my roots 
hang heavy, 
holding the shape 
of their pot.


- Diarmuid ó Maolalaí 2020

DS Maolalai has been nominated four times for Best of the Net and three times for the Pushcart Prize. His poetry has been released in two collections, "Love is Breaking Plates in the Garden" (Encircle Press, 2016) and "Sad Havoc Among the Birds" (Turas Press, 2019)