Do shiúl bean an leasa
isteach im dhán.
Níor dhún sí doras ann.
Níor iarr sí cead.
Ní ligfeadh fios mo bhéasa dhom
í a chur amach arís
is d’imríos cleas bhean an doichill uirthi,
dúrt:

"Fan má tá deithneas ort,
is ar ndóigh, tá.
Suigh suas chun na tine,
ith is ól do shá
ach dá mbeinnse id thi’-se
mar taoi-se im thi’-se
d’imeoinn abhaile
ach mar sin féin fan go á."

Rud a dhein. D’eirigh sí is bhí ag gnó
ar fuaid an tí. Chóraigh na leapacha,
nigh na háraistí. Chuir na héadaí
salacha sa mheaisín níocháin.
Nuair a tháinig m’fhear céile
abhaile chun an tae
n’fheadar sé na gurb í mise a bhí aige.

Ach táimse i bpáirc an leasa
i ndoircheacht bhuan.
Táim leata leis an bhfuacht ann,
níl orm ach gúna fionnacheoigh.
Is más áil leis mé a bheith aige
tá a réiteach le fail -
faigheadh sé soc breá céachta
is é a smearadh le him
is é a dheargadh sa tine.

Ansan téadh sé ‘on leabaidh
mar a bhfuil an bhean mheallaidh
is bíodh an soc aige á theannadh léi.
"Sáigh suas lena pus é,
dóigh is loisc í,
is faid a bheid sí siúd ag imacht
beadsa ag teacht,
faid a bheid sí siúd ag imacht
beadsa ag teacht."

Abduction
trans., Michael Harnett

"What’s your hurry, here’s your hat
Pull up to the fire, eat and drink what you get -
but if I were in your house
as you are in my house
I’d go home straight away
but anyway, stay."

She stayed. Got up and pottered
round the house. Dressed the beds
washed the ware. Put the dirty clothes
in the washing-machine.
When my husband came home for his tea
he didn’t know what he had wasn’t me.

For I am in the fairy field
in lasting darkness
and frozen with the cold there
dressed only in white mist.
And if he wants me back
there is a solution -
get the sock of a plough
smear it with butter
and redden it with fire.

And then let him go to the bed
where lies the succubus
and press her with red iron.
"Push it into her face,
burn and brand her,
and as she fades before your eyes
I’ll materialise
and as she fades before your eyes
I’ll materialise."