DENISE Griffin is a poet from Limerick who got in touch with the affectionate piece of whimsy. She has previously been published in ‘Wordlegs’, was a finalist in ‘Bring your Limericks to Limerick’ 2014 and shortlisted for The Caring for Carers National Poetry Competition.
Griffin is working on her first poetry collection, inspired by the stories, people and landmarks of Limerick.
She was moved to write ‘All chimed out’ having read about what happened when Penney’s clock stopped chiming, and a local man’s effort to get it working again. She telescopes to its dial across each of his decades.
All chimed out
The chimes stopped
short of ten o’clock.
“No more chimes,” he said
“Not on my watch,” he said.
Through the looking glass
of a seven year old
peeking in through the panes
of The Paper Mill.
He remembers
the sweet chimes
of Penney’s clock.
Through the specs
of a seventeen year old
lost in sweet saucer eyes
on a bench in Arthur’s Quay.
He still hears
the moonlit keys
of Penney’s clock.
Now as he steps off
Bedford Row.
He’s deafened by
the pin drop blackout
of Penney’s clock.
As he hits the send button,
hammers set in motion,
restoring the pearl drop chiming
of a Limerick symphony.
