The Wren, the Wren

Carmel decides to look up Phil’s television interview on the Internet. She finds it easily but does not watch it immediately. She prepares the house for Nell’s return later that week. While eating a blackberry, she remembers a superstition Phil taught her to explain why blackberries feel so mushy in late September and childhood memories of harvesting berries with Imelda.

Carmel cleans and then goes grocery shopping. Nell is in the habit of working hard for months only to fund trips abroad. This bewilders Carmel, who follows her journeys on social media. Carmel compares Nell to Phil as both espouse left-leaning politics.

Carmel considers looking up a recipe for courgette flowers online but realizes she will have to confront Phil’s interview on her computer. She sends a picture of flowers to her old friend, Aedemar. Carmel wants to tell her about Phil’s video. She remembers how Aedemar told her she was lucky that both of her parents already died. Carmel does not call her.

Carmel plays the video. Phil discusses Irish bird species and his relationship with Terry, who grew up in Dublin, unlike his countryside upbringing. Phil’s early poetry intended to communicate the experience of pastoral life to her.