Wormley

Interestingly, Irish Americans get more steamed over this history than the native Irish who seem to want to keep it out of mind. In a very real way, the American voice of McGuiness is appropriate as Irish poets are notable in their evasion of this topic. There is this giant hole in the subject matter of most current and near current Irish poets. It is that of the missing reference to English dominion. McGuiness stands out in contrast. Hand : A recurring theme, his departed love is ever young. ‘Fault of wonder never weaned’, that is, an idea, a fear, caused by empty speculation which begets no resolution or truth - “If I do go to heaven, will I be old and she as young as then?” In this poem a child’s hand, her hand, beckons him to repent so as to qualify for heaven and join her. But can he relate to her as the child she was? Dante had a problem of similar construct. Can you relate them?