Sean O Riordain

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'Come here,' said Turnbull, 'till you see the sadness
      In the horse's eyes,
If you had such big hooves under you there'd be sadness
      In your eyes too.'

It was clear that he understood so well the sadness
      In the horse's eyes,
And had pondered it so long that in the end he'd plunged
      Into the horse's mind.

I looked at the horse to see the sadness
      Obvious in its eyes,
And saw Trumbull's eyes looking in my direction
      From the horse's head.

I looked at Turnbull one last time
      And saw on his face
Outsize eyes that were dumb with sadness –
      The horse's eyes.


                                    Irish; trans. Patrick Crotty

Sean O Riordain, Irish, trans. Patrick Crotty, Eireaball Spideoige,
Sairseal O Marcaigh Tta, 1952.

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