Butcher’s Dozen

"Butcher's Dozen" is a poem by Thomas Kinsella, an Irish poet known for his sensitive lyrics that often explore primal aspects of the human experience within an Irish context. The poem's title references the historical concept of a "baker's dozen," which traditionally means thirteen items instead of twelve. This practice originated in medieval England as a way for bakers to avoid harsh penalties for selling underweight loaves by including an extra item. Kinsella's poem "Butcher's Dozen" specifically addresses the events of Bloody Sunday in 1972, where British troops killed thirteen demonstrators in Northern Ireland, and the subsequent tribunal.1234