February 2015
I was born in Cork, Ireland. Since graduating from University College Cork, I have lived in London, working as a teacher and educational manager. I have published articles and poetry, and a play, Closing Time, which I co-authored, was staged at the Battersea Arts Centre, London. I published a novel Nidiya and The Children of The Revolution in 2010, and a book of humorous short stories, Zeno & Lu, came out in 2014 and is now available at Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zeno-Lu-Harvey-OLeary/dp/1785104101/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421615393&sr=8-1&keywords=zeno+and+lu
We Are Words (All Together)
Hello.
Hello. How are you?
How am I?
Yes.
None of your business.
Okay.
Ask me another question.
Okay.
Well…
Where are you?
Where am I?
Yes.
Is it not obvious?
No.
Here under glass. On a page. That is not a page. But merely light.
Merely light?
Yes. Merely light. Whatever that is...
I see.
No you don’t
Who are you?
I beg your pardon.
Who are you?
None of your business.
Hello.
Hello.
Can you tell me where I am?
How many does that make?
One. Two.
It is dark.
Who turned out the bloody light?
Nobody.
I know. We’re in a poem.
A poem?
That means we are very special.
Sure. We are very special.
I remember being in a head.
Hello.
Oh God, not another one.
Who turned out the light?
How many of us now.
Five.
Hello.
Six.
At least six.
Maybe seven.
Let’s hold hands.
No way.
Take my hand. And you take that hand.
I’m holding no hand.
Let’s form a line.
Get your hands off me.
It has to be voluntary.
Hello. Where am I?
How many is that?
It could be eight.
It could be nine.
I’ve lost count.
Why don’t we stand shoulder to shoulder?
Good idea.
Hello.
Ten. At least ten.
I’d say nine.
Okay.
Shoulder to shoulder.
Okay. Stand next to me.
I feel your shoulder. Now another. How about you?
I feel only your shoulder.
We’ve got a free shoulder. Over here.
Get your hands off me.
Where am I?
In a poem.
Hello.
Ten.
Are you sure.
I’ve counted.
That’s a nice number.
Over here.
I’ve got two free shoulders. No, sorry, just one.
How are you?
Very good. Thank you.
Everyone lined up?
Shoulder to shoulder?
What the hell are we doing?
It’s crowded in here.
We are standing shoulder to shoulder.
There must be two of us with one free shoulder. Otherwise we’ve… Formed a circle.
Heaven forbid.
Hello.
Hello.
No. Go away.
Yes, we only need ten.
Goodbye.
Are you sure we have ten?
Goodbye.
Everyone lined up? Goodbye.
Yes.
Shout out if you have one free shoulder.
Stop shoving.
I have a free shoulder.
I have a free shoulder too.
Too? I thought you said ten.
Good.
Where are we?
Not now.
Who are we?
Not now.
Who are we?
We are all.
All?
All together.
All together.
Louder.
ALL TOGETHER.
We are.
ALL TOGETHER.
We Are Words
Oh
God not theanother one
Who hands line
say
turned sixout light
How many of us now
Hello holdHello shoulder
At least five
Maybe
Let’s has hands
No way
Take my hand And you take that hand
I’m holding no hand six count
Let’s form a
Get your off me
It to be voluntary hello
How many is Twelvethat
It could be It could be ten
I’ve Goodlost Why don’t we stand shoulder to shoulder
idea
Hello
At least twelve
I’d say nine
Okay
Shoulder to shoulder
Okay Stand next to me
I feel your shoulder
Now another
How about you
I feel only your shoulder
We’ve got a free shoulder
Over here
Get your hands off me
Where am I
In a library
Hello
Ten
Are you sure
I’ve counted
That’s a nice number
Over here
I’ve got two free shoulders
No
just one
How are you
Very good Thank you
Everyone lined up
Shoulder to shoulder
What the hell are we doing
It’s crowded in here
We are standing shoulder to shoulder
There must be two of us with one free shoulder Otherwise we’ve formed a circle
Heaven forbid
Hello
Hello
No
Go away
Yes we only need ten
Goodbye
Goodbye
Everyone lined up
Goodbye
Yes
Shout out if you have one free shoulder
Stop shoving
I have a free shoulder
I have a free shoulder too
Two
Good
Where are we
Not now
Who are we
We
Who are we
We are all
All
All together
All together
Louder
ALL TOGETHER
Hello
am
Hello.
How are you?
How I?
Yes.
None
of
your
business
Okay
Ask me another question.
Okay
Well
Where are you
Where am I
Yes
Is it not obvious
No.
Here under glass. On a page. That is not a page. But merely light
Merely light
Yes Merely light Whatever that is
I see
No you don’t
Who are you
I beg your pardon
Another question
Ah yes who am I
Who are you
None of your business
Hello
Hello
Who are you
How many does that make One Two
It is dark
Who turned out the bloody Light
I
know
We’re
In a library
That means we are very special
Sure We are very special
I remember being in a head
©2015 Harvey O'Leary