DS Maolalai

Visiting Edinburgh

the city smelled
of biscuits and roasted oats
which I thought
smelled the same – hops
burning in the brewery
apparently. I was there
with a girlfriend,
enjoying the hilly streets,
enjoying
bars
and the hops
between coffee shops.

love
came out of every alley
like a fox
and we kissed
while we waited for the train.

one night
we talked about
bricking the shop that had fired her;
decided against it. instead
just went for
another drink
and met
some more of her friends
whose names
I no longer remember
and don’t have to
anymore.

DS Maolalai is a poet from Ireland who has been writing and publishing poetry for almost 10 years. His first collection, Love is Breaking Plates in the Garden, was published in 2016 by the Encircle Press, and he has a second collection forthcoming from Turas Press in 2019. He has been nominated for Best of the Web and twice for the Pushcart Prize.