Delightful poems  of childhood

Gabriel Fitzmaurice Photo: Limerick Leader

Katie: Poems for the Young and Young at Heart

by Gabriel Fitzmaurice (Salmon Poetry, €9.00)

Only recently Kerry poet Gabriel Fitzmaurice was saying a farewell to poetry. Or so he said.

Now comes a little volume, which many of his readers, and many others too, will glad he has decided to bring out as a coda to his career.

Fitzmaurice has always been a poet who sees and expresses a child’s point of view. This little book collects the verses written during the first five years of his granddaughter Katie Crowley.

They are quite delightful. There won’t be a parent or grandparent who does not relate to his observations, or rather to the child’s own view given voice by her grandfather. She is certainly a pert little miss. This piece is called ‘Nanas’:

Nanas give you goodies

When mammies say they can’t

‘Cos Nanas always give you

Exactly what you want

And mammies can’t give out to them

‘Cos they are very old

And that’s why they’re allowed to be

Very, very bold.

But she grows up quickly and learns a little worldly wisdom:

I wont’ kiss my grandad,

Let me tell why — although I’m very fond of him,

Grandad is a boy.

He is.

And I don’t kiss boys!

These are little poems that even those who think they do not like poetry will take delight in”

However, there is also the poet’s own direct voice, full of love and tenderness, as in ‘Baby Sitting’:

Kate asleep upon my arm,

I keep snug and safe from harm,

When she wakes we both will play,

Meanwhile I give thanks and pray.

Though the times might think this odd,

She brings me very close to God.

My granddaughter.

These are little poems that even those who think they do not like poetry will take delight in, for the material in them cannot but come home to every family. So don’t be put off. Buy the book and enjoy some often deeply moving moments of love.

Also available: Gabriel Fitzmaurice’s A Farewell to Poetry: Selected Poems and Translations (Currach Books, €19.99) which was warmly reviewed on publication by poet Seamus Cashman in these pages.