Swirl

A poem

The ‘Leviathan of Parsonstown’: the great telescope built by William Parsons, third Earl of Rosse, at Birr Castle, Co Offaly, Ireland, and first used in 1845.

My poem, ‘Swirl’, was included in a special edition of the Dublin-based ‘Eat the Storms’ poetry podcast for Poetry Day Ireland on April 27, 2023. The podcast featured 32 poets, one from each of the 32 counties of Ireland, each reading one of their poems, and I was delighted to represent Co Cork, where I live.

Swirl

At last, two ground and polished mirrors
six feet across, each weighed three tons
before very long, in the damp air, they’d tarnish
they’d need repolishing but with two
William could always be sure of having a spare

The telescope had taken three years to build
his creation and claim to glory
and now the Leviathan of Parsonstown stirred
cast its ample eye upon the heavens
first light as hunger spread darkness on the land

William could hardly contain himself
as he climbed up to the eyepiece
to peer into the abysm of time
further than anyone had before
thirty-five million light years and beyond

And there a vast whirlpool of stars
spun secretly out of the quantum shift…