A photo of Melissa
The mouth is wide
on the face
and the head
tilted to one side with a question.
Behind her
there’s nothing but shrubbery.
She could be in a field somewhere
but I know better:
This photo
set on my table
is lying to people,
because it was taken
on that corner of Kensington and Dundas
and right out of sight
is the shell of a shop that sold postcards
and those hippy hemp dresses
with a Closed for Business sign
hung crooked in the window.
Further back
is The Handlebar
where I used to drink,
across the road
a gym
and a couple of offices.
And up further back
there’s the park
and the corner
where junkies hung out
before they tore it all up
for houses.
I’m writing this down
to remind myself
in case I put it in my wallet
and forget
and don’t look again
for another two years.
DS Maolalai recently returned to Ireland after four years away, now spending his days working dispatch for a medical supply company and his nights drinking wine. His first collection, Love is Breaking Plates in the Garden, was published in 2016 by the Encircle Press. He has twice been nominated for the Pushcart Prize.