On high ground in Tomar's Wood ships herd
in Dublin Bay, sail in sunlight and drop ashore

Hiberno-Norse raiders Máelmorda instructed
brother-in-law Sigtrygg to muster for the civil war

on an island his foot on the Fal stone could claim
if Dalcassian Mor cranium were cleaved; tossed

in blackthorn, remove the rival Ri's claim by right
of violence with sword. Be not just Ard Ri or high king

but emperor in the Armagh book. A bardic-voiced
composer; compass, meter amigo, ear-dreamt darling

spark of the ink, kindle, fire, single plough and satirist
croaking on the pillar of promise a secret song

sky-gods in the vulgar vassal skilfullly rhyme
striding low, at ease, travelling as noise angled in

music from an oak of two blossoms, banner of Horace
Ars Poetica, indexing ethnicity on desolate poetical

night with angelic language, prickly talk and naming
a next step of travel in the wind-like voice, ear and eye

reversing valde melancolicus, God's amanuensis
slayer, "chief of sinners," ace of hearts in mischief
and wickedness

...it will tend to prevent effusion of blood for the future
..knows what he fights for.. loves what he knows..”

Horse General in the New Model Army, fan of Gustav
Adolf the Great, at a posthumous execution, the corpse

hung in chains, beheaded; and was not a first time for
some, ripping up pavements at the love-parade riot

looting shoe's from shops, trilling

"Scum! Scum! Scum!"

and Charlie Bird

"You orange bastard."

Cast as Cromwell by thug-reason and the island
mob, looking not to love.