The 2010 winner of the Hennessy Poetry Award, Afric McGlinchey grew up in Ireland and Africa. She was also a Pushcart nominee, shortlisted in the Bridport, and highly commended in the Magma, Joy of Sex, and Dromineer poetry competitions in 2012. She is a book editor, and writes fiction and poetry reviews for the Irish Examiner, Sabotage and Orbis. Her début poetry collection, The lucky star of hidden things, was published in 2012 by Salmon.
http://www.salmonpoetry.com/bookshop-search.php
Afric lives in West Cork, Ireland. www.africmcglinchey.com

Afric McGlinchey

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Swordplay

You pare to get the closest zest,
find the sting back-lashing.
Oh I've been here before, shedding skins
to wrap a fragile ego in, till I was membrane
thin, and boneless with compliance.
But we all need resistance: no snap
beneath the fingers makes us bored.
I'm no longer so domestic,
you'll find me less Siamese
than vixen. I've been well taught –
by one who always played to win;
find I like the thrust and cut,
and my skins have
all grown back again.