Premier Writing showcases poetry, essays and short fiction by new and emerging Irish writers. This week’s featured poet is Aintherese Madden from Tipperary.
Poetry:
River Mother
The hustle and bustle of that river as it rushed past me.
I sit, but my stare never grasps
pain, joy or eager delight.
I scarcely can tell its source from its estuary
My feet never soothed by its cutting edge.
Leaping from its icy touch.
I strive to meet an overflowing river
of friendship and warmth submerging myself
In the unfamiliar.
I cry for my lost feelings.
Little stories that never brought a smile
fears that were in common perchance
Scant aspirations that might have been.
I watch You.
melt the sun rays
and dance with them on the heated rocks.
Fish i know no name for stop
and bathe in the wisdom of the years
surrounding Your stories.
A tree of leafy branches sheds into the very waters that created them
Heart-warming and without effort You gather them to Your banks
Never forgetting their differences, unique abilities
They drink some water but not in the breath-taking gulps
You expect, you wish.
Being
In the palm of my hand
Lies a beauty
Can you see it?
It is mirrored by another uninformed being.
Life’s long march thieved me
Of that vision of quiet
Nobody told me before
Of the kindness, generosity and warmth that were mine.
In forgiveness of the craving burden
I create a rare and majestic food
And serve it to the rumble
Of personal freedom.
This sleeping beauty awakens
And I call it Inner Peace.
Deeper
Just in this moment
I feel blessed.
The running water surrounds and inhabits
my left ear
listens and thinks of a babbling brook.
A cleansing meditation
flows right down by me
going deeper into everything.
How lucky it is to flow
with such ease and intention
One step left
I could be one with it
My mind’s eye washed clean
Free
Of the down pipe drought
Until the next shower.
About the author:
Aintherese Madden is an accredited life coach, and a new Irish writer. She lives a peaceful life in Lorrha, North Tipperary, with her two teenage boys, three dogs, two cats, and the numerous potholes in her laneway.
Aintherese’s debut creative non-fiction book, BEING, will be released on February 3rd, 2026. The book will be available to purchase at Bookworm, Thurles, The Nenagh Bookshop, Scéal, Lorrha Dorrha, and at Buythebook.ie.
For more information, please visit Aintherese’s website here.
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