In Tralee’s Saint John’s church
two life-sized
pure white angels
wings slightly furled
face each other
across the entrance
to the main aisle
each holding a large bowl
filled with holy water.
You must dip your finger
and make the sign of the cross
to gain entrance
past these solemn, still sentinels.
You are entering holy ground
they shriek silently.
Beware.
Take care.
The place you enter is holy.
Ailisha O’Sullivan graduated with an honors degree in History and English Literature from University College Cork, Ireland and worked in the Chicago Public Library system for several years as a librarian and storyteller before moving to Cluj, Romania, where she held a position as managing editor at Koinónia Publishing. She currently divides her time between translation and editing projects and working with local non-profit organizations. A sample of her poetry can be seen in the upcoming May 2019 issue of The Scriblerus Arts Journal.
Amethyst Review 