They gathered in the Dail
In Leinster House
Representatives of Ireland gathered there
And a returned Yank addressed them
Spoke of Ireland
And of his love for pure Irish air
Great to see a nation come together
Assembled in one place to hear a speech
A willingness to share in echoed story
Desire for something often out of reach
A hundred years ago and more
Earnest folk assembled
Talked and argued – argued talked some more
And in the end to bloodshed fell
Divided by their love
Died for Ireland who really should have lived
But bloodshed fires the mind to foolish things
And many died dreaming foolish dreams
Until exhaustion brings the lesson home
Life needs time and life’s not what it seems
The risen Lord bore wounds upon his body
His suffering was real he truly died
But risen now he shows the way to glory
Live in peace the world too often cries
Brian Fahy
13 April 2023
Erris Poetry 