Category Archives: Uncategorized

16 Rutland Road my first home A happy place Coal fire collie dog Loving parents siblings Tasty food Safe and warm at night All things good   Now my home is Stirling Cosy house Widowed now ten years I do not grouse Margaret was my home My happy place Even now I see her smilingContinue reading “Home Straight”

His name was Danny Blanchflower My father rated him And so in turn I became a fan He played for Aston Villa And then transferred to Spurs And that is when the fantasy began   Spurs they won the Double League and Cup you know Blanchflower was the captain Led the glory show And thenContinue reading “Glory”

Two gold coins of Mexico Found inside a prayer book Secreted in the spine this long long time 1821 and1947 The latter date the year that I was born   What story would they tell? These coins this book A priest maybe in persecution times Coins to pay his way to safer places And prayerContinue reading “Travel Insurance”

  A quiet strange young man it appears That English Irishman Patrick Pearse Caught up in his own dreams In his own mind Irish folklore Celtic warriors tall He will be another Christ And Easter fall   Impatient of the Saxon and delay He chose to fight and lose another day To be taken outContinue reading “Garda Siochana”

Tribulation and good courage The battle of our life How to live in happiness In a world of strife Jesus takes these very words And speaks of victory Be of good heart he tells us It is resolved in me   War in Ukraine disturbing us God help the people there Ulster’s constant warring TearingContinue reading “Courage”

Angel Meadow Manchester Truly hell on earth Industrial revolution Slave for all your worth Crowded rooms on crowded streets Illness in the air Spend your life in factories No one else to care   Crowded cars on motorways Crowded city streets Crowded teeming shanty towns Crowded slums repeat Crowded soldiers go to war Crowded onContinue reading “Room For You”

She carried him nine months Alas to be stillborn Taken from her Never in her arms Buried somewhere She never knew Sixty years she mourned Until the register was found Her little boy in local ground And now she comes to lay a flower And feels some healing in this hour And looking back remembersContinue reading “Mother and Child Reunion”

Sheep were in the waiting room As my sister climbed around Old Mulranny station Achill bound Hotel all closed up Strains of olden days When trains through Newport’s tunnel Crossed the viaduct Smoky haze   Mulranny micro climate Mediterranean Looking south to Murrisk Basks in summer sun Corraun gives protection Swim in swelling tides AContinue reading “Mulranny”

The train pulled in Roscommon railway station Grey stone building Flowerbed neatly made My cosy seat felt low Against the platform Sliding ever westward Westward Ho!   Low green fields Low stone walls Stony county so I am going home to Mayo Going all my days Never settled down there No long-lasting stays   ButContinue reading “Mayo Bound”

She’s gone, Brian, my sister wept, she’s gone And I drove west into a blazing sun From Belfast down to Fivemiletown All along that road A flaming ball of fire the tale of glory told   And landing in the West in Tricia’s home Family and cousins gathered there And then I went along theContinue reading “Mammy”

Mediation taught me Negatives do not serve They only serve to provoke They seek to hit a nerve   We cannot change another person No matter how we try Far better to be your own best self Look people in the eye   Speak a positive intent Do not accuse the foe That gives himContinue reading “Help is Close at Hand”

Let me kiss it better I said to Noah And lifting him kissed him on the cheek Is that okay? I asked And he pointed to his nose Kiss that too And so I did And that is how life goes   Healing hurts and harm A vital task Unattended wounds will fester sore AllContinue reading “Kiss It Better”

I am glad I lived in Tyldesley Small coalmining town Away from the big city Manchester’s sprawling frown Cities they devour you Make you feel so small But little towns promote you Help you to walk tall   My cousins lived in Manchester South side of the place Didsbury, Chorlton, Wythenshawe Withington I did graceContinue reading “Small Town”

A memory came this morning from out of the blue. We were in Holyhead about to embark on the boat for Ireland. It would be 1951 probably and I was four and Tricia was almost three. Mammy could get anxious sometimes, especially travelling. Have we got everything? All the cases? When she got like thisContinue reading “Wise Child”

So much lies ahead when you’re young So much behind when you are old Life is such a great unknown Mystery tour indeed But when you’re old and deeds are done There isn’t much you need   The train moves happily along To your next station stop And today we are called customers A nameContinue reading “This Day”