‘Doadly shing, mammy? Doadly shing?’
Yes my mother answered me
That was a lovely song
Mammy played her records
Brought back from Ireland
And I a child of maybe two
I liked to sing along
And not just sing
No – recognition too
All important to any child alive
For we are not just self
We are relationship
The message must come back
To give us pride
My grandson emerging out of school
Showed me his proud certificate
And waited for my word
That’s very good I told him
And boldly he replied
My mammy will be so proud of me
I smiled as I remembered
Yes I smiled
Our dearest wish in life
Is to achieve
And in achieving
Be blessed by those around
The final words of Jesus
It is achieved he said
It is achieved
Bowing then his head
Brian Fahy
2 June 2022
My first recorded words in my baby language are ‘doadly shing?’ – A question to my mother asking her if I sang well. Forever after, whenever I did something well my mother would smile at me, and say, ‘Doadly shing, Brian.’ These words have been with me all my life. They express the deepest desire in the human heart, to know did I do well and do you like what I do. Each day of our life we hope to achieve something and to be approved of by those around us. Let each day be a lovely song.
Erris Poetry 