DS Maolalaí recently returned to Ireland after four years away and now spends his days working maintenance dispatch for a bank and his nights looking out the window and wishing he had a view. His first collection, Love is Breaking Plates in the Garden, was published in 2016 by the Encircle Publications. He has twice been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and his work has appeared in many publications including Down in the Dirt Magazine, 4’33’, The Eunoia Review, and Ariadne’s Thread.
Impressive about art.
the thing was
we were both tired,
but anyway
we went to this art gallery
to look for a while at the pictures.
an art gallery
is a bad place to be
with someone you love
when you are tired
you want to seem clever
and keep trying to say
clever things
about paintings
but it just
wasn’t
right,
was it?
it took a long time
walking through big
empty spaces like churches,
and I could only
make jokes
and not be impressive
in my knowledge
about art.
it’s hard
being in love at first
and not
being impressive
about art.
instead I just
talked some nonsense
and never
got wowed by any paintings
like a fool.
I was tired.
except, maybe
this one;
I think it was called
the fifth seal opening or something.
that was good.
there was
this lightning
flashing so bright you could see it with your eyes closed
and this one guy
down low,
he was throwing up his arms.
there were also
all these sexy pictures,
the mistresses of old painters
or just models
paid 10 centime a day to shake like barley.
but what was I to do
when my girlfriend was there.
it was disastrous.
so difficult
early on
in love
looking at pictures.
my advice:
if you want to see some art
don’t do it
and if you must,
wait until you’re with someone
that didn’t spend the night.
You can find more of DS Maolalaí’s work via Twitter.