Jacqueline Mulhallen
Poems
Publications
Jackie has had poems published in ARTEMISpoetry and three anthologies, Cloudburst III edited by Colin Shaw and William Alderson (Chandler Press, 2017), Poems for Peace edited by Poppy Kleiser (Chandler Press, 2015), and Cloudburst2 edited by Colin Shaw (Chandler Press, 2013). Her poem 'Stilts' has been published in Exploring the Lives of Women (Barnsley: Pen & Sword, 2018), along with a chapter on the actress Eliza O'Neill.
Debt
After seeing Satyajit Ray’s Pather Pachali
Something was owed.
Was it rupees?
Whatever it was, it wasn't an orchard.
Aunty is owed soft fruit
Fruit she can eat with her toothless gums
I pay with the guavas.
Mrs. Mukherji is owed punishment.
It is paid.
The gods are owed worship,
Father pays with his devotion.
Father is owed wages.
As a scholar he is owed honour.
He is not paid.
The sweetman passes us by.
We owe him nothing.
Our house is owed repairs.
My mother is owed respect.
Aunty is owed care when she is dying.
We children are owed good food.
These are not paid.
Mrs. Mukherji is owed one hundred and fifty rupees.
The land is owed water.
The rain pays abundantly.
I owe the rain a dance.
I pay it gladly.
The dance is owed a death.
I have paid.
Mrs. Mukherji thinks she owes an apology?
But she does not know how to pay.
Jacqueline Mulhallen, 2011
Commended in Second Light Poetry Competition, 2014;
published in ARTEMISpoetry, Issue 13, Nov 14
Stilts
Jacqueline performing 'Stilts' at the Women's Studies Group 30th anniversary book launch on 8 December 2018.