Category Archives: Uncategorized

Battles of the Heart We have had an educationAbout the ways of warIn living memoryWord War One we knowAnd World War TwoAnd VietnamKorea I forgotThe FalklandsAh Maggie Thatcher’s War And thirty years of mayhemIn Ulster’s troubled landCruel death and butcheryHatred to command Once it startsIt’s hard to stopA bloodlust takes controlInnocent people feel the painDailyContinue reading “Battles of the Heart”

They really should change the anthemIt would help a lotScotland is far betterWhen England is forgotForget this Flower of ScotlandIt’s dismal dour and drearyGive me something to rave aboutGive me Scotland the Brave The Scots are a bonny peopleWarm and fiery, trueBut they’ve died too long for ScotlandWe need some living to doBefore the gameContinue reading “Scotland 0 Czech Republic 2”

Born when the war was overOn an island in the seaSurrounded by the oceanShipping Forecast protecting me Safe on a continental shelfObserver of the worldTales of diminishing empireStories of glory told American influence clearlyMovies music foodEurope we hardly know youNo English so no good Now the world is catching upNew Empires appearRussia China AmericaEngland inContinue reading “Island Life”

Integrity is such a lovely wordBut in the mouth of Boris JohnsonForgive me, quite absurdWhen he speaksIt seems he does not knowWhat words from his mouthAre about to flowWhatever makes the caseOr does the trickHis hesitant deliveryHis humorous flickAll meant to keep the showUpon the roadBut keeping promisesThat’s about to fold Being Mr Nice GuyWillContinue reading “Integrity”

Matthew 5:38-42 Startled when I heard itI knew it to be trueEven though the how and whereforeSeemed impossible to doLove your enemiesHe tells usDo good to those who wrong youIt seems so foolishYet I know it’s true Meeting hate with hateLeaves both in painAnger on to angerEnergy down the drainNourishing offencesWanting others hurtLeaves the worldContinue reading “Your Own Gethsemane”

So the UK is one country?Well that is news to meA kingdom, yesOr ‘Queendom’, if you willA political unit of sortsThough that is now fragmentingBut, one country?Really, do your sums! England is a countryScotland tooWales is a countryNothing newAnd Northern IrelandIs a fragment of a ProvinceOf British folk who wish to stay UK The PlantationContinue reading “Crown Territories”

The greenery is growing fastIn my little gardenOut the backI usually cut it backBy nowBut age slows me downAnd allows new growthTo grow My hair tooLike my garden growsLong at the backBehind my shiny domeI am not inclined to get it cutMy new sensationHair! My writing tooIs growing longWriting every dayLike walkingIt reveals to youNewContinue reading “A June Morning”

A quiet secluded spotThe Cornish coastBeautiful seaVillages called ‘Tre’Remote from everywhere importantThe centre of attention Carbis Bay Political persuaders meet togetherBoris leads the litany and danceEnjoying the company and weatherWorld King working near Penzance Pandemic and protocolsThe businessChina is in the mix as wellThe turbulence of worldly state affairsResounding on us like Atlantic swells AndContinue reading “Cornish Pasty”

My bus stopIs like a little churchA place of silenceRarely visitedI sit alone andWatch the cars go by People passAnd we say helloCars zoom byToo fastLet them go All added upI’ve sat for hours thereOver these yearsSince giving up the carI like itIt’s a quiet timeSit and think of folkAnd say a prayer Brian Fahy

Two boys sit at a tableIn their Nan’s housePicture books their study and intentEyes down in concentrationNan is watchingLearning every dayA new event These boys are my grandsonsQuite a bonusFor a life quite variedFrom a standing startA long roadWith many twists and turnsHas brought me hereAnd these boys steal my heart There was a timeIContinue reading “Lucas and Noah”

I come from povertyYet never knew itMy circumstancesGood enough and kindBut go back a bitMy father used to sing itIn Paddy’s land but poverty you’ll find The Fahy side In SlinaunOn a hillThe final house sheltered in a leaMoor and bog beyondAnd round the cornerGrace Kelly’s peopleNewport and the sea My grandfather’s motherMary LoftusShe hauntsContinue reading “Mary Loftus ~ A Great Grandmother”

I never forget this placeCapisce?Ricci’s RomaVia Genova 32A Pizzaria down a cul de sacA quiet street but boyThe noise inside! Tables and chairsEverybody talkingThere is so much to discussIt cannot waitPizza vino comingTo your tableThe waiter here since1938 Two years I spent in RomaIn the 80sDays of lecturesDays of study tooEvenings we go walkingNelle stradeEatContinue reading “Ricci’s”

Down Squires LaneThe Irish people gatheredThe coppers went in twosOn Friday nightsA pub down thereKnown as Polly Smith’sTo wet your whistlePut the world to rights My granddadWhen he got homeFrom the pitWould send my dadA lad them times to fetchA jug full of aleTo quench his thirst likeJust round the cornerWasn’t any stretch My dadContinue reading “Polly Smith’s Beer”

The Euros start todayAnd on my desk a photoOf my school teamThey’re the bestIt’s 1958And we have wonThe Cup for Atherton schoolsFor that same yearExcept we didn’t win and didn’t loseDrew with St Philip’sSo was honours shared Eleven smiling facesUnisonWe played and replayedCouldn’t get the winnerSo happily we sharedSix months apieceUnconquered undefeatedWell achievedA landmark inContinue reading “Picture Perfect”

The world got on without himGot on with senseless killingIgnored his neutral stanceTo listen was unwillingAccused him of taking sidesRefused his pleas for peaceBlocked him from VersaillesMade revenge their creedAnd sowed the seedOf worse to comeWhen Hitler rose to power So he turned to doWhat he could doHelping soldiers homeA ceasefire on that holy nightTheContinue reading “Pope Benedict XV (1914-22)”