Category Archives: Uncategorized

When I need encouragement Or straightening out a bit I talk to my father And he’s been dead a bit He died in 1988 On Saint Patrick’s Day The beginning of the Cheltenham Festival He would have backed a horse that day   I hear his voice I see him now Sitting in his chairContinue reading “Father Figure”

  A young lad now in prison Has seen nothing but the dark Abuse and angers all his life Have left their vicious mark But nineteen months in prison Have given him thinking time Now his conscience surfacing Has admitted to his crime   Jesus cures a man born blind Takes him by the handContinue reading “Bright Eyes”

It’s wonderful here this morning Absolutely glorious Blazing sunshine bright blue sky Joy all over us But there’ll be a change in weather I’ve been Whatsapped by my brother Warning of the storms to come We’re in for brutal weather   And Eastern skies are troublesome A clash of weather systems Politics of dictatorship AndContinue reading “See Out the Storm”

‘Wimpeys’ up Shakerley Road Post war built estate Had all kinds of folk there Their gardens would relate Some had lawns so manicured Quiet indoor folk Others like up Devon Road Gardening was a joke   We had garden front and back And garden to the side And Mammy made the most of it GardeningContinue reading “Constant Gardener”

Hide and Seek my grandsons love to play The joy of hunting the thrill of being found The choosing of the hideaway The counting up to ten Ready or not I’m coming All quiet in their den   Noah only two needs help to play Lift me into the laundry basket The instructions of theContinue reading “Human Discovery”

What do you say to people? When you come down from the mountain Who think you have words of life to say They are not going to win the lottery Nothing ‘s going to change Do we journey on Titanic? Deck chairs to rearrange   He turns our seeing upside down Challenges attitude Tells usContinue reading “Blessings and Woes”

Her voice was so imperious She really was the queen She lectured us and scolded us Sometimes would vent her spleen But I found her quite censorious A Tory through and through Right and right and always right Blue and blue and blue   He was strident awful Kicking at the goad The world wasContinue reading “Voices”

My son a young and busy man A family to feed Young boys to rear and care for Attending to their need A home to make Work to do All the daily grind Often sees him tired Still his heart is kind   I have no such business No demands are made on me WellContinue reading “Handing On”

  I must declare an interest I don’t like Man United Having said that There are other things to say They make life miserable for themselves By demanding pure success They have no patience in this life They have entitlement excess   When ‘Fergie time’ was over They should have realised A time for fallowContinue reading “Sports Report”

Big words and foreign words Can sometimes trip us up And Gabriel Maguire Was famed for such a slip up   Reading today’s gospel Four thousand people fed And then the disciples headed off To a place knocked on the head   The place is Dalmanutha A mouthful I agree And in the mouth ofContinue reading “Dalmanutha”

The pub was closed His wife had gone to bed He pulled a pint And sat beside his fire A play was in his head He got hold of a copybook Pencil in his hand And through the night he sat and wrote A play for Ireland   He’d heard a story of a manContinue reading “A Keane Eye”

  I have a bottle on my shelf Holy water Lourdes Somebody must have brought it here Was it me? Myself? Been here for years I’m sure of it Glad it’s by my side I do not drink or use it But here it will reside   Water of the Gave From the Pyrenees ClearContinue reading “Lourdes”

They’ll clear my ears for free the advert says A few drops of oil to soften wax And then the suction job I’ve had it done before It’s very good Now you’re deaf Now you’re out the wood   I’ve always had a problem with my ears A weeping ear at birth My mammy saidContinue reading “Deaf and Dumb”

Yesterday ‘s a lovely place to visit Provided you don’t stay there all the time Like Kiltane church by the Owenmore what is it That draws me back to claim it and its clime   Larkin’s poem ‘Church Going’ how I love it That thud shut door closing him inside The stone floor and everyContinue reading “Old Albums”

I lifted my phone And heard my sister sobbing She’s gone, Brian, she’s gone I heard her say Half one in the morning She had stayed with her all night Held her hand until the end Till she was out of sight   She always does that my sister Stands at the gate and wavesContinue reading “Life and Death”