Legal action is being threatened to stop further publication of a book by a leading Irish poet unless a poem contained in it is removed or altered.
The recently-published An Awful Racket by Aosdana member Rita Ann Higgins contains a poem titled "Black Dog in My Docs Day" which refers to the life of her nephew, Mr Michael Mullins jnr, who committed suicide in 1999 aged 19.
Solicitors' letters have been sent to Ms Higgins and to the book's publishers, Bloodaxe Books Ltd, on behalf of the deceased boy's father, Mr Michael Mullins snr.
The letter, from Galway solicitors Daniel J. Callanan, stated: "The content of this poem has caused grave distress to my client. It is our client's instructions that the unnecessarily graphic, cold and hurtful nature of some of the passages could have been rewritten so as not to cause distress and offence to my client". The passages from the poem to which Mr Mullins objects were quoted in the letter.
Ms Higgins said that the poem, which she described as "a lament to my beloved nephew", was finished and would not be rewritten. She said objections to specific passages were "out of context" with the sentiment of the poem as a whole.
Mr Mullins objects to certain passages only. The remainder of the poem, and the dedication of the book to his deceased son, were "a source of warm sentiment" to Mr Mullins, the solicitors' letter stated. It continued: "We are surprised that our client was not consulted or shown a draft copy of this poem prior to its inclusion in the book."
Mr Mullins declined to comment when contacted yesterday by The Irish Times.
Bloodaxe Books Ltd said that the matter was in the hands of its legal department.