John Montague was an Irish poet, born in America, whose writing touched on themes like national identity and loss. His collections include A Drunken Sailor, The Dead Kingdom, and Poisoned Lands. The latter was one of his first, published in 1961. He was also well-regarded as a translator.
‘The Silver Flask’ by John Montague recounts the poet’s family reunion and their journey to Ireland after twenty years to celebrate Christmas.
The family circle briefly restored
nearly twenty lonely years after
that last Christmas in Brooklyn,
‘Hymn to the New Omagh Road’ by John Montague is a poem that uses the construction of a new road to show the influence of modernization on County Tyrone.
As the bull-dozer bites into the tree-ringed hill fort
Its grapnel jaws lift the mouse, the flower, With equal attention, and the plaited twigs And clay of the bird's nest, shaken by the traffic.
Fall from a crevice under the bridge
Montague’s ‘A Lost Tradition’ mourns Ireland’s disconnect from Gaelic language and heritage, longing for a revival of ancient roots.
In ‘All Legendary Obstacles,’ Montague captures a lover’s anxious wait and joyful reunion, proving love overcomes all.
Montague’s ‘Cassandra’s Answer’ merges Cassandra’s myth with reflections on ignored warnings and revisited memories.
‘Forge’ by Montague delves into farm work and creation, exploring the transformative power of labor through detailed, contemplative imagery.
‘Like Dolmens Round my Childhood, the Old People’ profiles individuals from the speaker’s youth, contrasting their characters and histories, culminating in their deaths and the speaker’s liberation from their memories.
Jamie MacCrystal sang to himself A broken song without tune, without words; He tipped me a penny every pension day, Fed kindly crusts to winter birds.
Montague’s ‘The Errigal Road’ bridges Irish sectarian divides, weaving myths and history into a hopeful narrative of unity and peace.
‘The Locket’ by Montague delves into his complex relationship with his mother, revealing hidden love through a locket she wore.
Montague’s ‘The Water Carrier’ evokes nostalgia through vivid memories of fetching water, blending nature with deep reflection.
Twice daily I carried water from the spring, Morning before leaving for school, and evening; Balanced as a fulcrum between two buckets.
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