Inklings launch first anthology

Inklings Writing Club, Mullingar (Inklings) launch their first collection: The Inklings Anthology of Stories and Poems (The Anthology) on Wednesday June 17 at 7.30pm in the Annebrook Hotel, Berty’s Bar. Finger food plus tea/coffee will be served and from 9pm, music by talented local musician, Paulie Martin.

The Anthology presents contributions of 100 pieces by 33 local writers, all members of the Inklings group. Six pieces will be read at the launch. The price is €15 per book (250 pages). All are welcome to attend.

The Anthology – the first Inklings collection – contains a wide range of topics from delicate procedures to death by chocolate, from mean churchgoers to the Golden Mean, from best-man disasters to weeping wives, from murmurations to Armageddon, from forbidden trips to rock cemeteries, from entrails to Picasso, from rescued pets to fallen heroes, from life’s beauty to the long Irish Goodbye and much more.

Here are two samples from the collection

Would that it were I could be an artist by Liam Manning

Would that it were I could be an artist

Accomplished, able to capture your grace on canvas texture.

Or with charcoal and chalk, commit you in elegant profile to vellum ream.

Perhaps watercolours could bind your beauty forever to each grain of rice paper.

Or pencil pared fine enough to confine such softness to unlined page.

But neither I, nor artist of renown could aspire to such endeavour of futility.

The bigger the fool, he or me.

For no medium could create, nor surface hold the magic of your presence.

No brush stroke can imprison the freedom of your spirit.

Nor canvas crack’d wrinkle disguise the resonant laughter.

And no frame keep within, the love, the substance, the essence of you.

I make my way tiredly home.

Un-paintable portrait in the studio of my mind. Blank canvas waiting fruitlessly for you.

Sleep…

Awoken by birdsong and hope.

Brushes un-wetted. Paints un-palleted. Canvas dry.

But with you in my un-slept dreams, I will try yet again.

And rejoice in the journey once more.

Would that it were I could be an artist.

The Sound of Silence by Sandra Gavighan

The sound of silence

falls on eerie pathways,

echoing chilling silence,

of long ago passings.

The sound of silence,

falls in hospital spaces,

lights go out in wards,

of those who are sedated.

The sound of silence,

falls on troubled waters,

waves crashing relentlessly,

on boats with human cargo.

The sound of silence,

etched in the hearts of fear,

their silenced words,

embedded in their flowing tears.

The sound of silence,

in the faces of the lonely,

waiting for the human touch,

that never reaches.

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Inklings started in 2016 and are blessed with members who have published or are writing novels and poetry collections. The essence of the group is mutual respect, non-judgement and fun. Inklings meet on Tuesdays 11am and Wednesday 7.30pm; visitors are welcome.

The Anthology launch, June 17 at 7.30pm Annebrook, Berty’s Bar, N91 YH2F, promises to be a fun event. All are welcome to attend.