Tom Lyden is a local poet who has had work published in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. He is very influenced by music and nature, and is currently organising The Basket House group, an arts collective which will stage weekly readings and events in Clifden during the summer.

Tom's writing will be featured on the Clifden & Connemara page from now on.

My girlfriend she's alright
She'll do until the tourists come
She'll be here on long winter nights
When no girl from Denmark can be found
She'll be here when the bogman's ball is on
But you say it's a bit like hiding in shadows
She only comes out when it suits you
Where does all the selfishness come from?
Who can keep a woman for six months of the year?
And bring her forth when the time changes again
Well it's certainly a cheap way to keep a woman
In more ways than one
But you say you'll be with her for Valentines
What do you buy her then?
A new pair of Wellingtons!
And also at Valentines she's only two months away
From getting the chop
And when you get together again in September or October
How do you explain your summer romances away
And how does she accept them
Do you tell her that you're spiritually and bodily renewed
All those German girls in designer jeans and French girls
With sunburnt arms have worshipped a little in the arms
Of a dashing young Celt
They can dine out for a long time on the memory of
Connemara kisses
And your Connemara woman waits and wanes
Her raiment even in the height of summer has a strange pallor
Does she have longing of her own for European arms?
Could you bear her clinging to a dreamy Italian stud?
Would you be aghast if you came on her French kissing
In your local
What turns us all on I really don't know
How much glory in one night stands
Is lipstick more succulent from a foreigner's mouth?
Is passion easier to deal with when we walk away?
Do we prefer the cuckoo to the homegrown bird?

Tom Lyden