a depth of estuary
by DS Maolalai
burned apart like icarus
in the last stretch of his stumble,
the bicycle lies
washed and wallowing,
wasted in sand
and a shallow depth
of estuary.
revealed to the surface
an arc of wheel
and weedsprung gearbox,
showing
its broken face
shyly to the sun
like crabs
waving pincers
to the dropped assault
of seabirds.
the collapse
of blown sand dunes.
the creep
of wheeling tides.
advertising
by DS Maolalai
“north cider
or south cider”—
bolted to the rail bridge
going over the liffey.
i wonder sometimes—
must they pay
for the placement?
it’s a better way
of saying “dublin”
than any of the signs
showing streets.
About the Author
DS Maolalai has been nominated four times for Best of the Net and three times for the Pushcart Prize. His poetry has been released in two collections, Love is Breaking Plates in the Garden (Encircle Press, 2016) and Sad Havoc Among the Birds (Turas Press, 2019).