Padraig O'Tuama Poetry Reading

Last Monday night, November 18^th, I went to Padraig O’Tuama’s poetry reading. As an Irish poet, he writes a lot about the conflict and pain in Ireland focused around the religious divide between Protestants and Catholics. Attending this lecture, combined with the presentation on Irish Literature that we had earlier this semester, made me realize how much I do not know about Ireland and its history. This realization about the hole in my education made me angry and slightly uncomfortable. In high school we only learned about Ireland in relation to why the Irish immigrated to the United States. As a result, whenever I think of Irish history, I always think of the Potato Famine, and only the Potato Famine. Thanks to Whitworth, I now also think of St. Patrick, but that knowledge is nowhere near sufficient, especially when I was faced with the pain and conflict that O’Tuama presented in his poetry.  

            As a result, I decided to do some research on Irish history. It was interesting to learn how the conflict between Catholicism and Protestantism was just as bad in Ireland as it was in England, and how that conflict is still a huge problem there. Ireland has a violent history full of religious conflict. A civil war broke out in 1921 when a treaty was created between Southern Ireland and Britain, and the antagonistic attitudes between different groups has been a problem in politics, religion, and in the social sector.

Learning about modern implications of historical events has always been very interesting for me. O’Tuama discussed language during his presentation, discussing his accent and the different dialects in Ireland, as well as reading a poem in Gaelic. The way he read his poetry gave it so much meaning and such a beautiful rhythm and flow, that when I read some of his poetry later it sounded flat and not as impressive in my head. I enjoyed connecting this to what we learned in the Irish Literature presentation about language and groups of people in Ireland.

This is one of my favorite poems that he read:

Hold yourself together and pull yourself apart

In a time of desolation do not make a life-changing decision and do not go back on a decision made during a time of consolation. Remember the times of consolation.

Ignatius of Loyola

Remember that this has passed before
and that there will be more days
of plenty…eventually.

Pay attention to your feelings
keep those feelings sharp.
Try to hold yourself together
and pull yourself apart.
Keep your eyes on the prize
that you might never gain.

Don’t ignore whatever pain is blooming
like a flower that you never planted.
Occupy your hands with kindness.
Remember you can see, even though this blindness
is remarkable.

Mark the places that you’re feeling
mark the spaces where you’re needing held
mark the evenings that are dark
and mark the afternoon of coping.