Patricia Walsh was born and raised in the parish of Mourneabbey, Co Cork.  Her first collection of poetry titled Continuity Errors was published in 2010, and a novel titled the Quest for Lost Éire, in 2014.  Her poetry has been published in Southword; Narrator International; Third Point Press, Revival Journal; Seventh Quarry; Hesterglock Press; The Quarryman; Unlikely Stories; and Otherwise Engaged.  A further collection of poetry, titled Outstanding Balance, is scheduled for publication in March of 2020.  She was the featured poet in the inaugural edition of Fishbowl Magazine, and is a regular attendee at the O Bheal poetry night in Cork city.

Insufficient Evidence

Standard procedure, as is said, you’ll be fine
not even emojis can help you now
slender mercies comforting the inevitable
burying under a sleeping problem white events.
 
God, that’s sore!  Crushed under weight of expectation,
technological problems dig for deeper measure
keeping the flies away, excellency through failure
thinner chances computed over fear of the worst.
 
Being renowned never pays the bills
sun being shone, now a consummate nuisance
swooning over celebrity or at least the good-looking
friendship through intelligence, downstairs table.
 
Soaring through the following week, prices aside
knowing lots through procedure, sickened through worry
no news being infinitely good, at a glance
licence to weep over lost entitlement.
Cleanly imbibing a trap for the hubris
worldly music encroaches on a worrying situation
summertime for some, free food for others
smiling under duress, fear ripping the psyche.
 
The burial of the stripped of heart, once, twice
making out paperwork over glitches supreme
knowing income, statements, furnished throughout
a weekly awaits excoriation through the stroke of a pen.

Castigation

Asked to move along, drunk or otherwise
mere decorum coming through, clichéd procedure
excellency through effort, water abiding
politely leaving through a binding clause
rarity of form discovered through nosiness
lighting through convenience, less plastic therein.
 
The street, scarred through excavation, follows suit
the perfunctory plants serve other purposes
running against time, not even addressed,
to the appropriate adult, bank statements aside
doing what has to be done, ticking off boxes
loved through alcohol, but for how long?
 
Being through worse and survived, one for the books
the evicted miscreant, finally facing the cacophony
promises of same dog the applications
of standard procedure, the paper survey
burn through goodness, through a cafe home
no news being excellent, phone call or otherwise.
 
Expensive imitations, producing the slips
intimate statements still not really necessary
hoping for a favourable response, or none
to appeal for redress, laughing at the end
once done and dusted, suitably relieved
picking through the bleeding mantra of failure.