…at her breast, robe slips silk,
her shoulders, left arm cramps above
joint, as she nurses her son, 2 a.m. Floor
lamp illuminates her,
she perches on a stool.
Face-to-faces her easel.
Right arm brushes, strokes, feathers, teases
paint, baby clutches. Nurture flows
through her. Color flows from her. Sleeve slips,
slides up muscled forearm, white wrist where
her watch band blocks sun’s rays. Days she pushes
his stroller, he dozes, she dreams
of dancing.
Other breast peeks from robe
matches rhythm, painting process,
she evokes a face from mystery,
until rainbow eyes gaze into hers.
Baby hiccups, his bare heel spasms,
smears paint, paper. She must relinquish
a brush to wipe his foot, his mark remains
on her painting (her heart) their composition.
She lifts him close with crooked elbow, kisses
his tufted head. She rocks on her stool.
He sleeps against her shoulder. Drools
down her skin. She does not care.
She picks up the brush.
There is so
little
time.
Translation by Michelle Dunne
…ar a brollach, sleamhnaíonn gúna síoda,
a guaillí, a lámh chlé ag éirí craptha
agus í ag cothú a mic, 2 r.n. Urlár
solas an lampa uirthi,
suíonn sí ar stól.
aghaidh ar aghaidh os comhair a tacais.
An phéint á cuimilt, á stríocadh ag a lámh dheas,
beireann an leanbh greim uirthi. Sileann oiliúint
tríthi. Sileann dath uaithi. Sleamhnaíonn muinchille
thar rí mhuscalach, caol na láimhe báine san áit a
mbacann strapa a huaireadóra gathanna na gréine. Laethanta a bhrúnn sí
a bhugaí, codlaíonn seisean, bíonn brionglóidí aici siúd
faoin damhsa.
An chíoch eile le feiceáil laistigh den ghúna
an rithim chéanna, próiseas péinteála,
dúisíonn sí aghaidh ó mhistéir,
go dtí go bhféachann súile ildaite ina súile féin.
Snag air, freanga ina sháil nocht,
péint smeartha, páipéar. Tá uirthi scuab a ligean uaithi
chun a chos a chuimilt, fanann a lorg
ar a pictiúr (a croí) a saothar.
Ardaíonn sí chuici é lena huillinn, póg
dá charnfholt. Luascann sí ar a stól.
Codlaíonn sé ar a gualainn. Ag priosláil ar
a craiceann. Is cuma léi.
Piocann sí suas an scuab.
Tá an t-am
ag
imeacht.