SHOOTING THE BREEZE

After hours depleting at the office

what a pleasure stumbling on the way home

on secrets in the gutter, like a list

which someone has lost, or even a poem.

It's sad, however, when the notes we find

stay inside us for too long like a girl

shooting the breeze among blue feint-ruled lines

where exclamation marks reign, and circles

hot-air balloon above each j and i,

reminding us of all we stand to lose

in canteen queues and days among the files.

So much life wasted trying not to be rude:

Never getting to say smell ya later

dude, no tree-carved words 4me 4eva.

JIM MAGUIRE lives in Wexford and his poems have been published widely in literary magazines. They have also won a number of prizes, including the 2003 Rattlebag Poetry Slam and the 2005 Eist Award.

Jim, who lived in Korea for many years, works in community arts and education and each year runs a series of creative writing workshops at the FDYS. This year he is taking part in the Poetry Ireland Introductions Series.