A Little Night Music
By Daithí Kearney
We sit comfortably in the dark
My shaking leg gently rocks you
The suck on your bottle soothes you
Nestled on my lap
Like a tuned fiddle or pumped ball
Ready for play beneath lights
Tonight no audience awaits
We might settle for a draw
Our breathing finds a groove
I take the downbeat, you double
On the back with an easy pulse
Sighs pitched in harmony
Our duet is a game of improv
Leading slowly to a score
Like a set play half forgotten
I should write it down
Take control, suggest the play but
You call time outs; in tacet measures
We both contribute to
Ambient noises of our cage
Neither conductor nor primo
Extemporization challenges continuity
Antiphonal moments of affinity
Chase a finished cadence, touchdown
Ball still in play we seek a score
Coach and quarterback communicating
Experience and tiring exuberance
Unaware we teach each other
Your eyes close, harmony deepens
The rall relieves some tension
My eyes get used to the darkness
Shapes emerge and sharpen
As I bow before your cot
I fear an encore but still long
To keep the beat, retain the clarity
Beyond the dawning of the day
Daithí Kearney
Daithí Kearney is an Irish poet, musician and composer. From Co. Kerry, he now lives and lectures in Co. Louth on the east coast. He has a PhD in Geography and Ethnomusicology, specialising in Irish traditional music but is interested in developing creativity in all aspects of life. His poetry is inspired by his surroundings and his young family. His poems have been recently published in Paddler Press, Patchwork Folklore Journal, Bubble Magazine and Martello.
Photo credit: Bastien Jaillot
Apricot Press 