Grace and Joseph

Grace and Joseph

 

silent messages spanned the

infinity keeping Grace Gifford,

spinster, (rumoured ‘with child’)

and Joseph Mary Plunkett,

bachelor, of Kilmainham Gaol,

one yard apart

 

loving eyes 

shared a thousand dreams -

no regrets - 

as the priest recited,

 

‘in nomine, patris, et filii et spiritus sancti

I pronounce you man and wife…

… you may not kiss the bride’

 

Joseph looked to Grace’s belly

wishing to place a hand,

or ear for a heartbeat there

 

he yearned for the pulse

of Grace’s heart against his chest,

to put his lips to Grace’s lips

 

Grace Plunkett started to say,

“I’ll love you forever and our child,”

she was shouted down

 

Joseph Mary Plunkett, tried to say,

“I love you, mo daor,”

- his broken mouth garbled the words

 

coughing blood, frogmarched,

down flag-stone corridors

Joseph found scant satisfaction

in the irony that

consumption would not finish him -

but a volley at the stone-breakers’ yard

sandbag stack  would

 

blindfolded to blot sunrise

a white cloth pinned at his heart

where a medal 'for valour' ought to be

 

the last words he heard?

not precious consoling from his bride

but barked commands

 

Joseph Mary Plunkett fell back

before he heard the rifles’ crack. 

 

 

this is a reworking of a poem I wrote at the time of the centenary of the Easter Rising 1916. My original was rather florid, typical of the sentimentality that imbues Irish freedom songs. I've opted for a matter-of-fact, no nonsense, edit befitting the prevailing military attitudes.

There is a well know song about Grace Gifford - it does not mention her being pregnant (a massive no no at the time) but there's circumstantial evidence...