Nuala N Dhomhnaill

C Chulainn I

from Selected Poems, 1988

Small dark rigid man

C Chulainn
who still lacks a lump on your shoulder
who spent your first nine months in a cave
swimming in your mothers fluid.

Grave hunter
whod satisfy no woman
saying your father never went
to a small seaside town
like Ballybuion
never made arms and instruments of war
to give you

so you could leap from the womb

three minutes after the conception
your hand full of spears
holding five shields it is not we who injured you.

We also came my ladies, out of wombs

and the danger yet remains
morning noon and evening
that the ground will open
and opened to us all will be
Brufon na hAlmhaine
Br na Binne

or Teach Da Deige
with its seven doors
and hot cauldrons.

Dont threat us again with your youth again

small poor dark man
C Chulainn.