A review by raoul_g
Readings from the Book of Exile by Pádraig Ó Tuama

4.0

Pádraig Ó Tuama, in this collection of poems, offers us a glimpse of his ability to write deeply personal and delicate poems. His style is simple but compelling, and contentwise the poems mostly revolve around the topics of faith and fear, love and loneliness, meaning and mourning.

I will remember and return to many of these verses, but the very last poem of this collection will always have a special place in my hear:

The task is ended

The task is ended. 
Go in pieces.
 
Our faith has been rear-ended
certainty amended
and something might be mended 
that we didn’t know was torn. 

And we are fire
Bright, burning fire, 
turning from the higher places 
from which we fell,

emptying ourselves into the 
hell 
in which we’ll find 
our loving, and beloved
brother 
mother
sister
father
friend
 
And so friends, the task is ended. 
Go in pieces 
to see 
and feel your world.