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Jesus did not stop the stormHe calmed itThat sudden squallThat came upon the seaA sea so calm and tranquilYou never would believeA storm could comeTo threaten all you see This story holds a lessonFor us allFor storms will comeNo matter what we doAnd like disciplesFearful for their passageWe will worry will we drownWill we comeContinue reading “Storm”

Red cedar paintOn my garden fencePlank on plank on plankA chore a pain a thankless task– None of these negativesSince you askA simple joy to do Body and brainIn concentrationPaintbrush in my handUp and down the steady strokeIt’s so easy it’s a jokeA relaxation too No need to thinkAny arduous thoughtJust let the mind floatContinue reading “Garden Fence”

Matthew 8:18-22 Why leaveThe comfort of your homeThe love of familyWhy chooseA wandering preacher’s lifeOn the roads of Galilee Why notStay home in NazarethA carpenter of skillMake furnitureOr build a houseLive a life at will Why tellYour stories parablesWhen they will meet rebuffWhy try to change this awkward worldSo made of stubborn stuff Why takeTheContinue reading “Nowhere To Lay His Head”

Every SundayAt the windowHe keeps a rendez-vousA meeting with the worldA meeting just for you The mid day bell is chimingAngelusFrancis has a wordPrepared for us This is a holy manA good man, listenWhat he saysCan give your life a mission This man is loved by allIt’s very clearHe lives by prayerGod is very nearContinue reading “Sunday Angelus”

A lane a holiday homeA bloody slate and a blockA neglected murder sceneDown in west CorkTwenty-five yearsNobody caughtSophie Du PlantierWhat happened that night? Mysteries we love themEssential elementsForeign ladyFrench beautyRed head and French scentIn night clothes and bootsIn a place quite remoteMurdered at nightA cross marks the spot What happened here?By whom and whyPerhaps aContinue reading “A Cross Beside The Road”

The break-up of a homeIs sad to seeThat place of childrenPlace of familySometimes it’s for the bestReluctantlyOther timesA foolish jeopardy Whatever be the causeA remedyA way of fixing thingsAvert catastropheCan be foundIf people will allowA space and timeAvoid all atrophy My neighbour RobertWorking on his carA trained mechanicI stopped to have a jawIt looked aContinue reading “Come Back To Life”

Morning light creeps in my bedroom windowHours of darkness fade and yellow dawnFloats through curtain coverAnother sleep is overWake O sleepy head and greet the morn Night time hours have passedThe world was turningAnd I have left the conscious world behindThe house is filled with quietSilence its daily dietSoothing me restoring peace of mind AtContinue reading “Morning And Night”

Mark 5:21-43 Life as lived is personalNever in a crowdCrowds gather for spectacleSilent or very loudAudience congregationListen in the stillSporting crowds eruptingDemand you do their will But lifeLife is personalYou and I relateInterplay communionLove or sadly hate Jairus came to JesusThrough a gathered crowdPleaded for his daughterBending low and bowed Woman with a haemorrhageReached outContinue reading “Talitha Kum”

The thought comes on meNow and thenOf things way beyond my kenOf what may happen yes and whenIn future daysAround the bendWhere no one sees the way And more than thatThe feeling comesOf what’s the pointMy days have runNearing now the setting sunGame is overYou’ve had your funNo longer be a rover I remembered thenTheContinue reading “Mice And Men”

Had myself a ready meal todayIt’s handy and I’m gratefulBut I knowIt’s not the same as proper foodNot like mammy’s dinnersNot the same at allBut there you go Fish pie was the speciality todayOkay but I wouldn’t give it fiveHint of haddock promise of prawnSuspicion of salmon clue of of codAll very niceBut better ifContinue reading “Shop – Cook – Eat”

No one has been caughtFor her murderThat does not meanThe person gets awayYou cannot get awayWith any actionThe good or bad adheresIt’s there to stay There are consequencesTo everything you doA DNA a fingerprint a clueA spiritual effectFor joy or sadnessYour deeds becomeA very part of you The joy will make you growIn life’s fulfillingTheContinue reading “Rita Ellis (In Memoriam)”

Matthew 8:1-4 Leprosy eats at the skinDisfigurement is clearObvious to allDon’t, don’t go near Leprosy of the soulDifficult to seeBe careful who your friends arePreserve integrity A leper asks for healingJesus gives his touchHealing in an instantNot asking very much The Lord offers healingTo each and every oneAsk just like the leperAsk it shall beContinue reading “If You Want To”

Fear Cripples Us I needed to answer a questionStay or will you go?I had lived so long in no man’s landWhy I didn’t know Until the big wigs came to callAnd put me on the spotI went away to consider thingsWhat will be my lot? There was no thinking still to doHow long do youContinue reading “Fear Cripples Us”

Famous wordsFrom childhood daysEcho down the yearsWords revealing usTo ourselvesSpoken loud and clear Affirmation what I soughtWhen singing for my mumWasn’t that a lovely song I askedYes she’d sayLovely song Tricia tooImmortal wordsShe uttered – words of ironWhen she heard thatFolk were vexing me‘I’ll fight them for you, Brian’ Sheila was but two years oldWhenContinue reading “The Mouth Of Babes”

I watched my grandsonsMaking marks on paperEager to express themselves abroadThe beginnings of a lifetimeOf expressionI hope they find directionAnd the road Here am I autumnOf life’s journeyMaking marks in verseMy poetryWanting to express myselfAs alwaysSay it right and trueExquisitely I have written screedsI have them all about meEssays lectures homiliesThe lotBut now I findTheContinue reading “Mark Well”