‘Written on a Bathroom Wall in Rome’ by Gráinne Tobin

This window is kept open: the catch sticks.
Take care not to drop items into the courtyard
four storeys below, especially if awakened
at three a.m. when nightingales
renew their legendary song
during the break in traffic before dawn –

if you must lean out, entranced,
holding your mobile phone set to record,
saving this wonder to your sim card,
observe all reasonable precautions,
but do not neglect to murmur, Philomel.

From issue #3: autumn/winter 2016

About the Author
Gráinne Tobin lives in Newcastle ‘where the mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea’. She has two poetry collections, several contributions to anthologies, plus poems in magazines and archives. She’s been given awards from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and a residency at the Tin Jug Studio in Birr.