Eilean Ni Chuilleanain

SWINEHERD

When all this is over, said the swineherd,

I mean to retire, where

Nobody conversation is mainly about the weather.

I intend to learn how to make coffee, at least as well

As the Portuguese lay-sister in the kitchen

And polish the brass fenders everyday.

I want to lie awake at night

Listening to cream crawling to the top of the jug

And the water laying soft in the cistern.

I want to see an orchard where the trees grow in straight lines

And the yellow fox finds shelter between the navy-blue trunks,

Where it gets dark early in summer

And the apple-blossom is allowed to wither on the bough.

(1986)

Comments

[Alice]

I was always wondering if the swineherd mentioned in the poem was taken from Homer. In Homer, swineherd is the first human that Odysseus talked to. The swineherd explained to the king what was happening for the last 20 years thinking that he is a stranger.

So if these swineherds are related we can see the parallels with Northern Ireland as when Odysseus came back his kingdom is completely over-taken by greedy bad-mouthed suitors of Odysseus queen.

[m j edwards]

There are mistakes in the poem above. Correct version as follows:

SWINEHERD
When all this is over, said the swineherd,
I mean to retire, where
Nobody will have heard about my special skills
And conversation is mainly about the weather.

I intend to learn how to make coffee, at least as well
As the Portuguese lay-sister in the kitchen
And polish the brass fenders everyday.
I want to lie awake at night
Listening to cream crawling to the top of the jug
And the water lying soft in the cistern.

I want to see an orchard where the trees grow in straight lines
And the yellow fox finds shelter between the navy-blue trunks,
Where it gets dark early in summer
And the apple-blossom is allowed to wither on the bough.

See Ruth Padel for a full explanation of poem...