East Clare poet at a Crossroads of the Mind

OGONNOLLOE man, John A Sexton, a former English teacher in Scariff Community College has brought out a second edition of his first poetry book, Crossroads of the Mind.

John was educated in the local national school, in St Mary’s College, Galway and in the National University of Ireland Galway. He commenced teaching English and History in 1969 in a second level school in County Wexford and moved to Scariff Community College in 1970 until his retirement.
John said that he has always been interested in literature and in this collection he uses the style of the 19th century American poetess, Emily Dickinson.
“I first bought out this book before last Christmas. Due to demand for it, I’ve brought another edition. It is a selection of my own poetry, about places I’ve been, including Spain where I went on pilgrimage to Santiago de Composela,” John commented.
He explained that there are also poems about nature, mainly from the point of view of spring and trees, which he said remind him of the cross and the crucifixion.
“I’ve also written about Christ on Good Friday, the crucifixion and the coming again,” he said.
John continued, “Poetry is the enlivening of the mind of man. It’s a method to encompass with the past and the present, where everything is moving. Great writers strive to connect this linkage. All of these things remind me of the cross and they are all aspects that reflect on life and death, as well as man’s relationship with nature. I feel that poetry energises and adds to the reader’s understanding of life. It also analyses the human condition.”
He said he had been dabbling in poetry for many years.
“Only in the past while did I take it more seriously. On the advice of my friends I brought out a book of my poetry. I have always read a lot, particularly poetry. I love the poetry of Seamus Heaney, Brendan Kennelly, as well as some of the Spanish writers, especially Lorca. I find that there is a certain music to Spanish poetry.”
He added that writing is very therapeutic for him, and is something he really enjoys doing. “I feel that it gives me an opportunity to express my inner thoughts and to focus on the world around me and how I view it,” John remarked.
Crossroads of the Mind is available from www.originalwriting.ie.

An extract from one of John’s poems in Crossroads of the Mind
Looking across a frost-coated
fields at morn
There’s always
the sense of looking back
November raptures
by the gate
And the enclosed ditches
Trashed out bare
deserved blackthorns
Crave for forgiveness
On the healing
hands of time
Touching the thorns
I feel always a distance in the mind
Suffering to be
Where in the sun
Shines first