Poems and translations

A modestly sized volume gathers a dozen original poems written over more than a decade, each rooted in the everyday texture of Irish life. From the vivid wanderings through Kerry’s cliffs to quiet meditations on winter and the passing of time, the verses blend humor, longing, and a keen eye for the ordinary’s hidden lyric. The opening preface offers a thoughtful rumination on why poetry must stay connected to lived experience, proposing that true verse is both exalted and grounded in the “brutal” details of daily existence.

Interwoven with these home‑grown pieces are carefully chosen translations of European masters such as Petrarch, Villon, and Ronsard. Synge moves fluidly between literal fidelity and freer reinterpretation, allowing the ancient voices to resonate alongside his own. Together they create a chorus that honors tradition while speaking in a language unmistakably shaped by the author’s Irish sensibility.