ICONS

I didn’t set out to have lunch at the Hard Rock Café today . . . but as I was passing through the Temple Bar area of Dublin I had a “Lestrygonians” moment and, like Bloom, decided to duck in to a convenient establishment for a quick bite. While I was waiting for my fajitas—a brave menu choice deep in the Heart of the Hibernian Metropolis?—I took a peek at several books that I picked up this morning: a new volume of poems by my friend Louis de Paor, a substantial gathering of poems by the late Michael Hartnett (about whom I have a little piece in progress), and a compilation of various short writings by James Joyce. Then I decided to record the moment for posterity.