Ah, Mo Chroĺ ...Is Leatsa An Ghra! (Ah, My Love...The Love Is Yours! Poem by Dónall Dempsey

I try to teach her
the two “To Be’s”
in Irish.

“TÁ” is used to
express a state
or a condition.

“IS” is used to
express existence.

So...

“Tá se mor!
(“He is big! ”)

but

“Is fear mor e! ”
(“He is a big man! ”)

“Tá...se... yesyes...”
(then tentatively)
“...teach! ”
(exultantly!)

“No...no.. that
structure doesn’t exist in Irish! ”


We say:

“Tá se ina theach! ”

“It is in its state
of being
a house! ”

She laughs.

Kisses me.

Says she’s
in a state

of being

in love.