Where Everyone Knows Everyone

Where everyone knows everyone his is a stranger's face
And where everyone knows everyone he does feel out of place
He came for his company from the City  to work in their branch in the country town
Where he is a stranger on every street that he walks up and down
He has worked two months of the work contract that he signed in May
Ten more months in the country town he is obliged to stay
Where everyone knows everyone he does not feel at home
He could not feel more homesick than he would feel in Paris or in Rome
Four hours by car from the city suburb where he first saw light of day
In  where everyone knows everyone he will not grow old and gray
Saturday evening in their local pub his mates enjoying the cheer
Whilst he sits on his own in his one bedroom rented flat drinking from a tin of beer
And wishing he were with them but life it is this way
A homesick man four hours by car from home of him would be fair to say.

A Hungry Belly Game

In penning of rhyme for me no money or fame
It can be what is known as a hungry belly game
I add to my growing number of rhymes every day
But only for enjoyment and never for pay
I do enjoy rhyming of this why should i lie
And i hope to be doing it till the day i do die
And though my worth as a rhymer i have reason to doubt
So many things for me to write rhymes about
It was love of rhyme made a rhymer of me
I penned my first rhymes in nineteen seventy three
And going back in Seasons this seem long ago
And since time that rusts iron has become my foe
In penning of rhyme for me no money or fame
It can be what is known as a hungry belly game.

As Long As

As long as to your higher self you remain as ever true
And give everyone the credit that to them only is their due
And do not ignore the person of your help in need
To a future of good Karma the good person sows the seed
They may feel they are special the trash talkers of the town
But there is never anything good about one who verbally drags another person down
The nicest person in any town may not even be well known
By people in their acts of kindness the seeds of goodness have been sown
They are the humble and compassionate people who give for to receive
On the true meaning of Karma these people do believe
As long as you do not wrong anyone in any way
And respect to everyone you willingly do pay
And save for yourself good karma by your good deeds every day
You live as a good person in truth one of you can say.

We Are Told

We have been told that rhymers are different to poets
Like sheep in appearance are quite different to goats
And the billionaire different to you and to i
But to live we all breathe air and eventually we die

Wise words from the wise one known as 'we have been told'
That methuselah did die at nine hundred and sixty nine years old
To know this 'we have been told' must have been born many centuries ago
And it does seem that time has not become his or her foe

According to 'we are told' the one known as God has a Kingdom somewhere in the sky
Where good souls when their bodies die on wings to does fly
'We are told' is so clever compared to ordinary me
An immortal genius would you not agree?

The praises of such a fountain of knowledge we ought to sing
'We Are Told' the one who does know everything
The World's wisest and cleverest individual it does seem so
Saw Christ walk on water more than two thousand years ago.

A June Day In South West Victoria

The sun behind gray rain clouds is hidden away
In coastal south west Victoria a wet and windy day
June that began with sunshine ending wet, windy and gray
Above average rainfall in June following a dry and sunny May
Old Merri bank high in flood waters of brown
Flowing with a loud babble towards the ocean near Warrnambool Town
A forecast temperature high for the day of eleven degrees
And rain slanting down in the freshening breeze
A cool and wet day in June in Winter's depths of the year
Yet the song of the magpie is so pleasant to hear
And though little sunshine of late and the sky seldom clear
Every day to the Spring brings us one more day near
Rain drizzling down from rain clouds of gray
In south west Victoria a typical Winter's day.

In Life Everyone

In life everyone of some sorrow will know
And where there is sadness the happiness seed will not grow
Some do grieve for a lost love some grieve for the death of a loved one or a friend
That life can have it's sad times why otherwise pretend

We all have our challenges in life to face
To feel mentally down is never a disgrace
We come to know of happiness when we have lived through hell
In life we have bad times and good times as well

The billionaire's daughter the unhappiest young woman in the town
Forsaken by her lover she feels let down
He loves another far better than her
True love to money he does prefer

We face some new challenge in life every day
This is how life is and it has always been this way
The happiest of people in every town
Have days when they are out of sorts and feel mentally down.

Nostalgia

Those who have never lived apart from their first home-place could never understand
The nostalgia felt by migrants for their native Land
Of the longing caused by absence they will never know
A longing that sometimes can cause tears to flow
I have seen aging men in pubs their eyes dimmed with tears
For where they were born and raised and had been absent from for years
Absence makes the heart grow fonder as the wise one does say
Nostalgia in the mind of the migrant does stay
For the place he or she first looked on the light of day
A longing in time that does lessen but never goes away
Guiseppe a widowed grandfather he is seventy four
He still talks of his first home in Italy the village on the Mediterranean shore
Nostalgia does live on in the mind till the body does die
This is a fact of life and fact never does lie.

Denis Napthine

Denis Napthine the Premier of Victoria  the polls have him on the way out
Though doubtless he will hang on to his seat in Parliament of that there is little doubt
But if the Liberal- Nationals lose Government i am sure Denis from politics will call it a day
Since when most Premiers lose real political power they give politics away
Denis in fairness to him he does seems  a nice enough man
And in politics in truth his has been a very successful span
But he has had a good political innings and it is fair to say
On his lavish ex Premier pension he will be quite okay
But who wins or loses the next Victorian state Election will not matter to me at all
As i am not one who stands to gain my needs in life are small
And as for Denis Napthine if the Liberal-Nationals Government lose
He can resign his seat or carry on as an M P the choice is his to choose
And who knows the Liberals and Nationals may win the November Election though the Labor Party are favorites to win
There well may be a few surprises when the final results are in.

Out Of Place

They did seem nice enough people with them there was nothing wrong
But their subjects of conversation did not suit you a few hours in their company did seem long
You felt happy on leaving the party for you not a good night out
We relate best to those of similar interests of this there is little doubt

You did not feel happy amongst them though they would never be your foes
We are happier amongst the like minded each to their own one must suppose
I can understand  how you felt how you did not enjoy the night
Some social gatherings we are part of for us does not seem at all right.

Though to make yourself seem at ease amongst them your very best you did try
That we are happier amongst those of similar interests is a fact that none can deny
None of them you did not know that well amongst them you felt out of place
Even at a community party for some challenges for to face

There are many tribes in every town we are not of the one club
You feel happier amongst your mates drinking at the local pub
You were amongst nice people though you did not feel at ease in their company
We are happiest amongst the like minded is how it seems to be.

Content Of Mind

In a World where everybody wants to be a billionaire
Truly happy people to say the least rare
Yet the accumulation of large amounts of money happiness to few ever bring
Contentment of mind is a wonderful thing
And though many in life do pursue elusive happiness
Contentment of mind a great gift to possess
In the contented minds there is no room for greed
Enough for to get by on is all they do need
Many of the World's wealthiest people are poor in some way
Their worries seem to multiply by the day
But the contented do sleep well at night
If they have any worries of them they make light
True happiness is elusive is how it seems to be
To be content of mind would be sufficient for me.

Time That Rusts Iron

Time that rusts iron has left me balding and gray
And physically i have known a far better day
But i hope for to live for as long as i can
And die in my sleep without pain as a very old man
In Claraghatlea in Millstreet my journey in life began
And there i did enjoy my youthful elan
But the lust of the wander did lure me far south
Of the home of the badger, the rook and brown trout
To the home of echidna and koala and roo
And the big handsome dark brown parrot known as yellow tail black cockatoo
The past though long gone as a memory remain
And perhaps i may never see Clara again
Or hear the dipper singing just before sundown
In May in the Finnow near old Millstreet Town.

Koroit's Beauties

On Commercial Road see them walk up and down
The beautiful women of old Koroit Town
Some partnered or married with children and some single in their prime
Koroit's beauties the inspiration of stories and rhyme
On Saturday  evening at Mickey Burke's and the Commercial Hotel with friends they socialize
That young men from Port Fairy and Warrnambool come to Koroit is not any surprise
Many of them come in hope of meeting a Koroit beauty since the word has got around
That beautiful nubile women in Koroit do abound
Far beyond the borders of the Moyne countryside
Koroit for it's beautiful women is known far and wide
Most of Koroit's single beauties are down to earth and free of guile
To find their equal one would have to travel many a mile
The women of Koroit in Victoria's south west
Beauty-wise does hold their own with the best.

For My Sins Against Others

For my sins against others the price i must pay
But i do not hate anybody since this is not my way
I only wish to be forgiven as i do forgive
Since i believe in the philosophy of live and let live
Of my worth as a person i have reason to doubt
But to improve in our ways should be what life is about
One can only be the best that one can be
At least anyway this is how it seems to me
Though any harm to another person i never have done
Of those in need of self improvement i can claim to be one
Compassion and kindness does come from within
And the majority of people myself included are not free of sin
And for my sins against others the price i must pay
But i do not hate anybody since this is not my way.

Australia A Huge Country

The home of the wattle, the eucalypt and the pittosporum tree
In the great southern Country there is so much to see
A Land of varying scenery from the brown outback to the wooded hills of the south
That it is one of the World's amazing Countries there can be little doubt
Home to marsupials and megapodes and monoterene
Such marvelous wildlife in Australia to be seen
Magpies, kookaburra, many species of parrots and currawong
And honeyeaters and lyrebirds in this Southern Country belong
The home to the emu, cassowary and many species of black and of white cockatoo
And of rosellas and lories, wombat, koala and roo
And of an old race of people the children of the Dreamtime
They have been the inspiration of story and rhyme
With some of the most amazing wildlife to human kind known
Australia a huge Country with a charm of it's own.

Not Everyone Has Life's Choices

The majority of the wealth of the World is owned by the few
But to this some might say in this there is nothing new
But in a Human World where the gap is increasing in the social divide
Billions of poor people due to lack of opportunity of any success are denied
Those who say everyone have life choices do not have it right
For the millions of homeless people and millions in refugee camps life is an uphill fight
To fifty per cent of the World Human population life choices does not belong
Those who tell you otherwise does have it wrong
In most cases life choices  seem tied to birth circumstance
The children born to poverty stricken parents of any success in life stand little chance
Everyone does not have life choices despite what some do say
Life is not or never was or never will be this way
It is not anyone's choice to be homeless and hungry on the street
In a World where billions of people for success do compete.

They Are The Descendants Of Rebels

They are the descendants of rebels with rebel blood in every vein
You ask why the Cork flag is blood red to you do i have to explain
Since red is a dominant color and Cork men to the might of Britain refused to lay down
They fought and died for the green flag of Ireland in every Cork village and town

The reason Cork is known as the Rebel County is that it was there most of the fighting for Irish freedom was done
It was there that the most young lives were lost and the most battles were lost and won
Today there is peace in Cork County and the gift of life from the last warrior has long gone
But in the books of Irish history stories of brave Cork men live on

They are the descendants of rebels and the rebel blood does never die
In the D N A it does live on this is a fact and fact never lie
If Ireland again was invaded young Cork men would take up the resistance fight
It is in their blood to be warriors and warriors never cower to greater might

In Gaelic Football and Hurling they wear the red of Cork with pride
They are the descendants of rebels and history is on their side
The name of the Rebel County was paid for in bloodshed and tears
But the rebel blood lives on in young Cork men though the first rebels are dead for years

They are the descendants of rebels their ancestors were fearless and brave
Men who fought under the green flag of Ireland and did not fear the dark of the grave
They fought bravely though often outnumbered in every Cork village and town
And many of them died in their own blood such can be the price of renown.

Old Warrnambool

Home to all shades of people black, white and brown
Victoria's south west premier City breezy Warrnambool Town
For it's hospitable people it is known far and wide
And a favorite place to visit for many in the south west countryside
As a place of scenic beauty it's popularity does grow
Where the Hopkins and the Merri into the Pacific does flow
From the ramp overlooking Logan's beach from mid Winter to mid Spring
One can see the southern right whales and their young quite an amazing thing
The Breakwater, Thunder Point and Lake Pertobe park for their natural beauty are widely known
With Australia's most beautiful places Warrnambool could hold it's own
A beautiful place to spend a holiday
Where the Merri flows into the Pacific at Stingray Bay
Even in the warmest day of Summer the sea breeze keeps the air cool
In the beautiful City of old Warrnambool.

You May Live

You may live in London, New York, Paris or Rome
But always for you there's a place they call home
The place where you first looked on the light of day
Though from where you now live this might be far away

You may live in Melbourne, Christchurch or Capetown
Far from the old streets you often walked up and down
And where you now live you do not call home today
Home to you is that old town far away

You may live in Dublin, Toronto or Rio in Brazil
Or Beijing or Tokyo, or from where you call home further still
And home where the heart is to you does apply
From where you now live many miles of sky

You may live in Hanoi, Delhi or Bombay
From where you were born and raised far away
But the nostalgia for what was in you does remain
Just to visit the place that you call home again. 

His Kind Familiar To Many

On this one of the coldest days of the year
The song of the magpies a joy for to hear
Warbling on a wattle to where i am standing near
Their familiar music melodious and clear

On their breeding Season from mid Winter through Spring male magpies sing at night
How pleasant to hear them fluting in the moonlight
In their songs there is a warning to other male magpies and they are not known to pretend
That their nesting borders they will fight to defend

Black and white crow sized birds with silvery looking dagger like bills i do see every day
Them i often hear singing quite distinctive in their own way
Amongst the birds of Australia they are very well known
One can say of them they have ways of their own

On this drizzly morning in June the air to it has a cool chill
The black and white bird with the silvery looking bill
Is singing his flute like notes on a windblown wattle tree
His kind familiar to many and familiar to me.

The Past Does Live On

I thought i had put the past behind me but thought again has proved me wrong
For wherever i travel to with me it goes along
The friends of my younger years in memory with me today
Though some of them are where the deceased now does lay

The past in reality may be gone but the memories of it remain
And with my young friends i play football again
Back in the days when my hair was dark brown
On Summer evenings we played until dark in the park of the town

Wherever i go to my past goes with me
In the green and grassy fields Nature's wildflowers i do see
When the hawthorns are cloaked in their white blooms of the May
Though that was years ago in a place from here far away

But the now is all that does matter as the wise one does say
And come tomorrow the past it will be today
But we retain the mental images of the what used to be
For the past does live on in everyone's memory.

His Daydream

His daydream in show-business was to go far
A sensation on Broadway a celebrated movie star
Famous in every Country with millions of fans Worldwide
A super star in his twenties with time on his side
He would make his mum and dad so proud of their son
A leading actor in blockbuster movies the World's number one
Young women in their thousands are screaming his name
The once poor boy of the suburbs knows of Worldwide fame
In his early thirties with a wife and two young children in Victoria's Swan Hill
Working in a factory sometimes doing overtime to pay his every bill
And still he daydreams of better things in life
For himself and his two young daughters and his devoted wife
And though his dream as a teenager has yet to come true
He lives as a good family man and a good person and for this credit he is due.

Are You One Who Does Know

Are you one who does know of the dark moods of despair
And have come to realize life to some is not always fair
And on your worst days give some thought to suicide
But love of life is never easily denied
To the higher self  through tough times you stay true
And to carry on with living credit you are due
For of mental depression you know all too well
And you do know about living in Earthly Hell
There are so many like you in every town
Who knows how it feels to feel mentally down
But for some the burden of sadness becomes too much to bear
And the victims of suicide are no longer rare
The dark moods of sadness are with you today
It is so hard to smile when you are feeling this way.

Money Cannot Buy One Happiness

The wealthy and the famous their lives are not their own
For everyone knows their business this is what comes with being well known
The celebrities may be in the news and by many admired
But some of them yearn for their privacy and of their fame grow tired
And some of them grow arrogant fame can go to the head
And some at a young age became addicted to narcotics and are numbered amongst the dead
But most wish to become wealthy and famous in most there is this need
If they are wealthy and admired by many in life they feel they have managed to succeed
One of the happiest people i know of is not a millionaire
An aging widowed grandmother in her seventies yet she seems free of care
She does not wear any makeup her hair is a natural gray
And though she does not have millions of admirers she is happy anyway
Every time i see her she is smiling joy is with her every day
Money cannot buy one happiness as the wise one does say.

For As Long As I Can

Cigarettes and alcohol kills the body and drugs destroy the mind
And staring at the full sun can render you as blind
If old age does not claim you some other ailment will
And even for your funeral someone else will pay the bill
We may as well live as happy since we are born to die
The same for the billionaire as for you and i
But so good to be living and healthy today
Though time has left me the worst for wear and gray
I am not looking forward to becoming one more deceased man
I just want to live for as long as i can
Time does pass so quickly seems like only yesterday
That with my young friends in the schoolyard in the lunch break ball games i did play
Though this is going back more than fifty years ago
And time that rusts iron has become my foe.

The Odds Stacked Against Him

The odds stacked against him but he battles on
He believes that his toughest times in life have gone
One of the homeless unemployed of the poor side of the town
Who knows what it is like to be financially down
To be born of poor drug addicted parents he has known a tough time
But it is to his credit that he has not resorted to crime
Homeless at eighteen working two days a week for award wages pay
Yet he believes better times from him not far away
He plans to leave the poor big city suburb for to try his luck elsewhere
Next week he will be leaving to travel in the big World out there
Rather than live with abusive parents for two years he has been on the street
The toughest challenges in life at a young age he does meet
In the big World out there he will travel far and wide
He has great dreams for the future and time is on his side.

The Past May Be Gone

I may never see old Finnow again
Flowing bank high in the old fields swollen by heavy rain
And in Spring in the field where the tall rushes grow
Well hidden from view hear the cock pheasant crow
But when i visualize i can hear the rill
Babbling to the river down the fields by the hill
And the song of the dipper i fancy i hear
The waterway he sings in to my thoughts ever near
I may never again hear the male chaffinch sing
On a leafy birch tree in the prime of the Spring
When the hawthorns are cloaked in their blooms of white to gray
On a beautiful evening of a Duhallow May
The past may be gone but the memories remain
Of old fields i may never walk on again.

Too Much Information

Too much information at one time is not a good thing
Confusion to the mind it only does bring
To absorb information the brain does need time
Otherwise it becomes like poorly written rhyme
Perhaps i am not as intelligent as i wish to be
Since a little information at a time for my brain to digest seems enough for me
Too much information at once seems to muddle my brain
And places me under a lot of mental strain
We all cannot be gifted and mentally bright
And knowledgeable and wise with lots of insight
Some are more clever than others only true to say
This is how it is and always will be this way
Too much information at the one time is confusing to me
I am not as intelligent as i wish to be.

A June Day In South West Victoria

Though the warbling of the magpies one does often hear
It is cool and wet in south west Victoria in early Winter of the year
The southern June is often chilly in the damp coastal breeze
And many morning though not freezing just above zero degrees
Yet the weather temperature starts rising an hour after break of day
Though the sun is often hidden behind low clouds of gray
A high of thirteen the average high for June it sometimes reaches sixteen
Yet the paddocks by the old town in Winter always look green
Not many leaves left on any deciduous tree
And the magpie larks in the town park are calling pee wee
Their song never does never vary that much from day to day
Dainty black and white mud nesting birds charming in their own way
A June day in south west Victoria with a temperature high of fourteen degrees
With the cool chill of Winter in the freshening breeze.

The Amazing Neily Joe

He drove the Millstreet ambulance going back decades ago
The likeable fellow Cornelius Murphy better known as Neily Joe
A stocky built cheerful fellow he was not very tall
And he was quite a character when memories of him we recall

When he retired from ambulance driving his better days long gone
But he was not one to sit back he kept on working on
He bought a tractor and done hire work for farmers in the Duhallow countryside
He earned his living in the honest way and in his work took pride

He was a founder member of the Millstreet pipe band
And with them played at sporting events and festivals in towns in southern Ireland
Like many of the band's founder members his last remains at rest does lay
But the pipe band he helped to form is still going strong today

He was born and raised in Cullen from Millstreet Town about eight miles away
And at Inchaleigh he and his devoted wife raised their children where they had lived for many a day
It can be truly said of Neily Joe that Cullen's loss was Millstreet's gain
And good memories of the man he was in those who knew him does remain

With his cousin Jackie Murphy open air platform dancing he helped to revive
But like most things in life many old ways in time do not survive
On Summer evenings to their ceili band in Claraghatlea dancers on the borded platform danced till night fall
And only memories of the what used to be we have now to recall.

He retired from the Millstreet ambulance when i was a young man
When he was getting on in years and well past youthful elan
He went on to do other things though time had become his foe
And he has not been lost to memory the amazing Neily Joe.

Toots Kelleher

Beyond the borders of Duhallow's green countryside
Toots kelleher was a man who was known far and wide
By fans in Ireland of Gaelic football
His name often mentioned when the greats of the game they recall

A legend of Gaelic football this is going back in time
To the nineteen fifties when he was in his prime
He was one of Ireland's best forwards back then
The great player from Millstreet a man amongst men

He may be long deceased but his legend lives today
For Cork and for Millstreet great games he did play
Strong and determined and quick on his feet
His name lives today as a legend of Millstreet

In his prime years a tall, sturdy and handsome fellow of rather dark hair
He took and gave hard knocks but he always played fair
A true sportsman in victory or defeat he seemed much the same
He was one who played for the love of the game

Good memories are ours to recall and enjoy
A hero of Millstreet when i was a boy
But time to the best of them becomes the foe
And the nineteen fifties now seems long ago

For Munster and Cork and his home club of Millstreet
Against the best Gaelic footballers he did compete
He surely did earn his place in renown
Toots Kelleher a legend of old Millstreet Town.

Not For Me To Say

To the supreme being of their choice billions of people do pray
But to the existence or the non existence of a God who am i to say
To judge people on their religious beliefs is not my right
Everyone's shadow is quite dark in the sunlight
There is only one God i do believe in
The one known to many as the God within
The God of compassion who lives in the mind
Of every person who is good and kind
The God of the person who gives to receive
The only God i can say on i do believe
If you live as a good person and give everybody their due
To the God you believe in you are being true
To the supreme being of their choice billions of poor people do pray
But the existence of a Universal God is not for me to say.

War It Is Raging Again In Iraq

We live in the same World and to live we breathe air
But many must feel life is very unfair
Another senseless war is raging in Iraq
Where right to life once more is under attack

In Iraq and Syria many war zones today
Where poor people from their homes are driven away
In thousands every day across borders they do flee
Who would wish for the life of a war refugee?

Wars are being waged over religion, culture and land
That people cannot solve their differences in a peaceful way seems hard to understand
Since the war supposed to end all wars was fought decades ago millions in wars have died
That war men never learn from past wars cannot be denied

Thousands of war refugees are fleeing across borders today
Some of them on trucks and some some of them walking to the nearest refugee camp on their way
And war it is raging again in Iraq
Where right to life once more is under attack.

We Never Stop Learning

The animals and birds like us learn from life every day
They too never stop learning it does seem this way
Some small birds build a dummy nest above the nest in where their eggs they do lay
For to fool the larger feathered nest robbers they have found a foolproof way
The rabbit to give birth away from the other rabbits digs a hole in the ground
In fear of that by their father her young would be found
For his offspring he would kill this much she does know
At the intelligence of Nature's creatures my wonder only does grow
That the animals and birds learn from their ancestors survival methods to me a surprise
That i know so little of the ways of wildlife i have come to realize
But of Nature we learn something new every day
We never stop learning as the wise one does say
Of life all around me my ignorance does show
For the more i do learn the less i know i do know.

The Lovely Kathy

A small worry can grow a bit bigger every day
And worrying about something does not make it go away
That worrying about it will not solve the problem is definitely not a lie
Of a worry related illness some are known for to die

Kathy in her mid seventies is the happiest person who lives on our street
She is one i always feel happy to meet
She does not feel any need to cloak her silver gray
But in the warmth in her greeting she brings joy to my day

She does not have an aging ill man for to worry about
Of advanced emphysema day and night coughing phlegm out
Of congested lungs dying painfully and slow
She is lucky of such cares she will never know

She does not have the worry of children or grandchildren to keep her from sleep
For to make her laugh or to cause her to weep
Always happy go lucky one who has no regret
She does not have a memory she would rather forget

The lovely Kathy is aging with grace
She always has a beautiful smile on her face
Not many like her i can claim for to know
For she is one who does have the inner glow.

They Are Simple Enough Rhymes

They are simple enough rhymes the rhymes i do write
Not hard to remember, memorize or recite
To the thousands i have penned i add more every day
For my own enjoyment since for me in it no monetary pay

 I care not if i never be worthy of literary note
And i never refer to myself as a poet
Since a rhymer at best is the best i can be
I penned my first rhymes in nineteen seventy three

Since then many Seasons have come and have gone
But true to my addiction i keep rhyming on
If i did not enjoy rhyming in truth i can say
Without hesitation i would give my hobby away

I penned my first rhymes at twenty seven in my physical prime
Some four decades ago this is going back in time
But this in time does seem a long while ago
And since then time all of our master has become my foe

And though my worth as a rhymer i have reason to doubt
Never any shortage of things for me to rhyme about
Of Nature and life and of people i know of and meet
The rhymes even come to me as i walk on the street

On this cloudy June day in early Winter of hardly any breeze
Of a weather temperature high of some fifteen degrees
A white backed magpie is singing on a wattle tree
His beautiful song is familiar to many and familiar to me

The urge to pen more rhymes in me does remain
And i write for enjoyment not for personal gain
If i told you that i will give rhyming away i would be telling a lie
For i hope to be doing it on the day i do die.

July On Clara

I only have memories of Summers long gone by
When the tiny blue whortleberries were ripe on the heather on Clara in July
The organic fruits of Nature such a tasty treat
When ripe in July quite delicious to eat
The countryside for miles around green after recent rain
Of July on Clara good memories with me remain
Eating whortleberries an hour before sundown
Overlooking the countryside by Millstreet Town
Where i grew to love Nature when i was a boy
And learning of her ways today i enjoy
From Nature we learn something new every day
In life we never stop learning as the wise one does say
And good memories of July on Clara today i retain
For to visit again and again and again.

Carmel

She has not been feeling too well of late
Carmel to many is such a good mate
A very good person for to pay to her what is her due
In the god she believes in on how she lives she is true
One of the nicest and kindest of people in old Koroit Town
In her words Carmel never puts anyone down
Of open heart surgery she now is in need
Such sad news to learn of so very sad indeed
She has lived near or in Koroit all of her life
To her children a good mother and to her late husband a good wife
By everyone in Koroit Town and the countryside around it she is loved and known
It can be said of Carmel she is one of Koroit's own
She always has a happy smile on her face
And Koroit for her in it a much better place.

The Macho Alpha Male

The macho alpha male is protective of his wife
And the one who wolf whistles her is endangering his own life
The jealous and aggressive alpha male to become violent does not need alcoholic drink
He is one of the sort who often acts before he does think
His wife or his partner he thinks is his property in his mind her he does own
Towards violence to other young men without much cause to he has been known
Muscle toning and high testosterone levels cause tension increase
And to an alpha male a brawl is pent up anger release
The alpha male the ruler of his household is master of his children and wife
For every woman there is some price to pay for having one like him in her life
If his wife or any of his children him does disobey
He puts them back in their place in a non gentle way
In the running of the household he has the final say
With him this is how it is and is how it will stay.

Worry

There is truth in the saying laughing his or her cares away
A good antidote to stress in a few good laughs a day
Of any worry in your life you are better off without
The more you do worry the more you have to worry about
Due to worry related illnesses many have died
In cancer and heart attacks and sometimes suicide
The worry free people quite lucky indeed
Though to say the least they do seem a rare breed
Of truly happy people i do only know of a few
On this i am not saying anything that is new
People allergic to worry of happiness never know
One small worry to a bigger one does grow
An antidote to worry in a few good laughs a day
So lucky are those who can laugh their cares away.

I Have My Own Views

I have my own views on life which to little does amount
Like the billions of the powerless my opinions do not count
On how the Country is governed not for me to decide
I am on the minority side of the political divide

When the Prime Minister goes overseas we are told all of the Country's people he represent
He does not represent the minority in their thinking which is well under fifty per cent
Since they did not vote for him or his party on election day
How can you represent one whose political opinions are opposite to yours in most every way?

Even in the most democratic of Countries there is not true democracy
They remain as unrepresented the political minority
Their votes never do count on election day
On the workings of government they do not have a say

I have my own political views this and little else more
But in political terms i am one of the minority and my opinions any points doesn't score
With the politically minded majority and plenty of them everywhere
In towns,cities and villages and in the big country out there.

Four Hurlers From Duhallow

Four hurlers from Duhallow in the red jersey of Cork against Ireland's best do compete
Three from Kanturk and one from Millstreet
In all Counties of Ireland they are famed far and wide
Far beyond the borders of Duhallow's green countryside

All Star Goalkeeper Anthony Nash and dual Intercounty player Aidan Walsh and Lorcan McLoughlin three of  Kanturk's own
Because of them Kanturk as a place of great hurlers has become widely known
And center half back Mark Ellis of  Millstreet with distinction the red of Cork wear
From a club that has produced many a great Gaelic football player

Four Cork senior hurlers from Duhallow of applause this deserves an encore
As this is something that has never happened before
From a barony of great Gaelic footballers where good hurlers used to be rare
With honor and pride the rebel red they do wear

In sporting circles in Ireland four hurlers from Duhallow held in high esteem
Anything  is possible in life it does seem
To these four great young hurlers congratulations is due
In life what has not seemed possible is sometimes known to come true

That they are four great hurling ambassadors for Duhallow of them cannot be denied
They do wear the famed red jersey of Cork with pride
In hurling they compete against Ireland's best
And have yet to be found wanting when put to the test.

Of Late Things For You

Of late things for you are not going your way
Your boss has said no to your request for a raise in pay
And at work for you just one more unhappy day
But job starts are few so in your present job you will stay
With a wife and two young daughters to support you struggle financially
But times will get better for you hopefully
On low take home pay it is hard to financially cope
Yet of better times in the future you have not lost hope
There is always hope where hope is not dead
And better times for you and your family may be ahead
The better job that you crave with better pay
From you in time may not be far away
That all things come to those who wait happens to be true
And a change in luck in life you are overdue.

A June Day In South West Victoria

It is a cool showery and windy Winter's June day
But the magpies are singing in the park by the bay
The black and white songsters with a song quite beautiful to hear
The birds who do sing every day of the year
In mid June at least ten weeks from the calendar Spring
When the golden bill blackbird at daybreak will sing
In the gray of the afternoon the magpie larks singing pee wee
Black and white mud nest building birds familiar to many and to me
For Winter in south west Victoria the weather not cold
The wattle trees sprouting their fluffy looking blooms of rich yellow to gold
In a few weeks from now they will be laden with flowers
As a thing of great beauty in the cool Winter showers
The songs of the dark currawongs tell rain is near
Though the weather is not cold for the time of year.

A Day In Mid June In Duhallow

Mid June near prime of Summer and the sky looking gray
The sun on Duhallow is not shining today
The skylark a musical speck in the sky
Above the brown hill singing as he does fly
In green old Duhallow from here far away
It is not the best weather for harvesting silage or for making hay
In Climate Change weather patterns vary Worldwide
By extreme weather many farmers of a decent living denied
Mid June in Duhallow and the fields lush and green
And the rank grass by the rivers flattened where the floods lately have been
A freshening wind from the Boggeraghs and the crackling of thunder tell rain is not far away
In what could turn out to be a very wet Summer's day
The sun it is hidden behind clouds of gray
In not ideal weather for saving of silage or hay.

In Climate Change

In Climate Change many species of animals and birds getting rare
Within a decade many more species will be extinct of which we are aware
But that governments place environmentally damaging jobs before the natural environment seems puzzling indeed
As you cannot have good fruit if you do not plant the good seed
Due to human created carbon emissions Planet Earth is warming at an alarming rate
By our greed for money the extinction of many creatures we are helping to create
The Polar ice caps are melting as sea levels rise
Those who are in denial of Global Warming are not very wise
In a World of over seven billion people in Climate Change for many tough times are ahead
In longer periods of drought there will be a shortage of rice and bread
And every day factory chimneys puffing black smoke to the sky
That us humans are responsible for the escalation of Climate Change seems hard to deny
The Polar ice caps are melting as sea levels rise
Those in denial of Climate Change believe their own lies.

Kin To Primates Of The Trees

Us humans are kin to primates of the trees
Such as orangutans and monkeys and chimpanzees
Perhaps our original ancestors lived on trees though no proof of this today
Though anthropologists through science in human history can go back in years a long way
Like all other life forms we are born to die
Death as is for all living things is also for you and i
You may be the inspiration of song; story and rhyme
But eventually the Reaper of lives on your life will call time
Like the seeds of the plants and the trees the seeds of most people live on
When their bodies die their d n a in their offspring live on
Despite our achievements in science and technology us humans are mortals little else more
Our average life span in years not even four score
Us humans are kin to primates of the trees
Such as monkeys and orangutans and chimpanzees.

I Cannot Complain

Any success in my life i struggle to recall
Though i am one who has not known of many worries at all
If i said i do not sleep well at night that would be a lie
It will not be of stress related illness i will die
My best physical years in life many seasons ago
And time everyone's master has become my foe
And though on the hill of success i have not climbed far
I have been luckier in life than most people are
Of homelessness and poverty i have never known
And if i am not successful the fault is my own
But i feel as happy as happy as anyone could wish to be
And this in life is most important would you not agree
I am in good health one without physical pain
And in life i have been lucky i cannot complain.

Jimmy From Macroom

When aging Jimmy was in his life's bloom
He danced in the Castle Ballroom in Macroom
His hair light brown back then is now silver gray
And physically he has known a far better day
A grandfather in his mid seventies of similar age to Kate his long term Australian wife
The mother of his two sons and daughter the great love of his life
Forty five years married together into old age they do grow
He grew from a baby to a man in the Town where the Sullane waters flow
The passing of the decades have left him walking slow
In Macroom Town today few of him would know
Some he went to school with amongst the deceased now lay
Whilst some others like he is from Macroom aging far away
The mid Cork accent that migrated with him till death is with him to stay
Though he would feel a stranger in Macroom today.

Many Things In Life

Many things in life do come at a cost
Though the war has been won human lives for it have been lost
For every battle won the price is huge to pay
There are millions of dead heroes in the World today

The cost to pay high for some things in life
The billionaire who recently divorced his wife
In court his huge financial loss did become her huge gain
The truth in we learn as we live as a fact does remain

For most things in life for to pay there is a price
It never does come cheap professional advice
Sometimes the end  result is not what you did choose
The more money you have the more you stand to lose

That we learn as we live in life is our due
And most things come at a cost happens to be true
Our mistakes of the past we live to regret
But the lessons that came at a huge cost we do never forget.

Do Not Believe Those Who Tell You

Do not believe those who tell you that crime does not pay
Major criminals amongst the wealthiest people in the World of today
Some known billionaires into crime in a big way
Money speaks every language as the wise one does say
And money to buy favors seldom known to fail
It has kept wealthy criminals from spending time in jail
The people with heaps of money have power on their side
That in human life it is most important cannot be denied
Few things in life worse than being financially down
Not many wish to know of the poor of the town
It is hard for one to be happy under financial duress
In many people a lack of money a reason for stress
And sad to think that some very wealthy people are patrons of crime
Yet in prison they never do spend any time.

Sean O Connor

Sean O Connor a quiet and unassuming person in his own gentle way
And news of his death is such sad news only true to say
And Kippagh for his passing all the poorer today
Good memories in all who knew him of him their life time will stay

The heart that beat with kindness is forever still
Of one who loved the old fields in view of Kippagh hill
In Millstreet Parish and Town he was well liked and well known
But he lived as he died as one of Kippagh's own

Though time from us all removes youthful elan
In his prime years Sean O Connor was a tall and handsome man
One who did a lot of good during his life span
And he died in Kippagh where his life's journey began

In his lifetime he never made an enemy and made many a friend
And sad to learn his life's journey has come to an end
And though the last breath of life from his body has gone
In Kippagh by the hills his spirit lives on.

On A Phone Call From Connie Tarrant

A winter dawn above Koroit was breaking gray
As the phone rang a call from Connie Tarrant in Liscreagh far away
A fellow i had not spoken to or seen for years
From a past i have shed for my last nostalgic tears

In his carefree humorous manner he has not changed much at all
In his prime years he drank heaps of alcohol and played football
But the drinking of liquid far more potent than orange he has given away
One might say he is on the wagon today

He talked of the Coolikerane O Connors showing their years in gray
Like all of their time physically they have known a better day
And Shannaknock's big Mick Murphy in his prime strong as a bear
Muscular from lifting weights and quite a robust football player

He talked of Jimmy Sullivan of Millstreet Town still going well
Though the years on him too are beginning to tell
Of a past we have known of in the forever gone
And only the memories of it living on

Our football games in Coolikerane bog and Neily Duggan's inch field
But youth to time is always known for to yield
And memories are all we have left of the past
And the biological clocks ever ticking on fast

I was there on the day that he married Noreen
Since then many sunsets in life we have seen
We drank and made merry in Killarney Town
The hair now silver gray that was then black or brown

A June dawn  over Koroit Town was breaking gray
As Connie Tarrant phoned from Liscreagh far away
A few kilometers by road to the Town of Millstreet
And a ten minute walk through the fields to where the rivers do meet.

Jeoff Shaw

Jeoff Shaw the rogues ex Liberal M P from Frankston may not be all bad
But in him plenty of room for improvement for he is quite a lad
He cheated on his parliamentary expenses in politics a fairly serious offense
Seven thousand dollars may not be a huge amount of money but far more than seven thousand pence
Jeoff Shaw is not a nice person as nice people do go
Amongst his parliamentary colleagues he has made many a foe
The opposition want him expelled from parliament the government him wish to suspend
Jeoff is not a good one at the keeping of a friend
A three month suspension from parliament his punishment without pay
But Jeoff Shaw not a poor man he will be okay
He has not been the first politician or the last Jeoff Shaw
To be caught in their parliamentary expenses breaking the law
The rogue members of parliament more than a few
You may say to this do tell us what is new.

Even To Many Locals

Even to many locals you are not a well known face
What matter is the town for you living in it to live in a better place
Do you get on well with your neighbors and help those of helping in need?
In life expect to reap the fruits of good Karma if you sow Karma's good seed
How popular you are as a person does not say much of you at all
Many celebrities in their ways are known to be small
Some very famous people are not known to be kind
To feelings for compassion for others they are not inclined
A good person of the feelings of others is aware
And in the helping of those in need of helping does find time to spare
One who is willing to give to receive
And in the higher principles is one who does believe
You may never hear for you a loud hip hooray
But you do your good deed or two every day.

Politicians Are People

Politicians are people just like you and me
But otherwise we share few things in common is how it seems to be
Since most politicians do not trust each other what of them does this say?
That in general they are not the most trustworthy of people it does seem this way
In the chambers of parliament trust does not abound
Amongst politicians in general mistrust not hard to be found
Amongst some members of their own political party powerful politicians have most for to fear
That their positions of power in danger from members of their own party to them abundantly clear
To retain power to them in life the most important thing
To power for as long as they can do they do desperately cling
They are the people we gave power to on election day
And since they represent us what does this of us say
In the chambers of parliament the honorable members are few
But then one can say in this there is not anything new.

I Cannot Agree

With those who say we all have life choices i cannot agree
What life choices have the poor and Stateless refugee
From an oppressive regime the misfortunate he or she
Their Country of origin are forces to flee
And what choices have the children of poverty street
At such a young age life's toughest challenge they do meet
Their abusive parents in jail homeless they survive on their own
Happiness is a thing that they have never known
Life's choices are gifts of the privileged minority
This is how life is and it always will be
There are millions of Stateless and homeless people in the Human World of today
On how life should be for them they do not have a say
With those who say everyone has life choices i cannot agree
The life we do live has it's source in destiny.

Eileen

In the town park she is one that i often does see
She always does smile and say good day to me
She does not look her age wonder how this can be
She looks fit and healthy and pretty for one of eighty three
She does not wear any makeup and her shoulder length hair silver gray
But she looks younger than her age by many a day
She looks fit and slim and lovely though her best days she has seen
The ten times a grandmother the widowed Eileen
She grieved at the loss of the love of her life her late husband Joe
He dies of  leukemia a decade ago
But time is the great healer as the wise one does say
And she is enjoying life and feeling happy today
Not surprising that her friends in numbers do grow
For Eileen is one who has the inner glow.

With Me This Is Okay

I have heard that some say of me he is not right in the head
Of penning reams of doggerel one would think instead
That he would take up jogging as many of his age do
He must have a screw loose in his brain or two
Suppose for being seemingly different the price one must pay
In this tribal World we live in today
Where those who are different are seen as not quite right
As if all of our shadows are not dark when walking in the sunlight
And what others in what to them is their truth on what they say of me does suit me fine
Since what is their business cannot be any business of mine
Our different ways makes us more interesting as people it does seem to me
If we all had similar interests and thought in the same way how boring we would be
Though some who know of me of me may not have nice things to say
They are entitled to their opinions and with me this is okay.

Everyone Cannot Be Wealthy And Famous

Everyone cannot be wealthy and famous since wealth and fame is not for all
But those referred to as immortal in reality are mortals as mortality is for all life forms the great to the small
The people we think near to perfect are not without some human flaw
Since us humans are life forms of Nature and perfection not in Nature's law
But those who are blessed with kindness and compassion are less flawed than most only too true
They live their lives as honorable people and this is to give them their due
You can only live as good as you can live and perform a good deed every day
A good person from one in need of helping will never turn and walk away
They are far from honorable people who with their words put others down
And sad to think their kind are not rare quite a few of them in every town
A good person cares about others and unkind words of anyone never say
They are not into comparing people and respect to everyone does pay
Everyone cannot be wealthy and famous in a World where for one to win many must lose
But in life how we do treat others is for you and i for to choose.

On Scott Morrison

Anything is possible in life but it would be a huge surprise
If Scott Morrison Australia's Minister for Immigration won the Nobel Prize
If i see this in a newspaper i would scarce believe my eyes
And say to myself someone has published lies

Tony Abbott's border protection enforcer one who lacks in empathy
To asylum seeking boat people he offers no sympathy
By the Australian Government no welcome for any boat refugee
The people who in fear of their lives their homelands did flee

To the asylum seeking Stateless any mercy Scott Morrison does not show
Of how it feels to be compassionate he would not know
Some people well beyond their twenties into kind and compassionate people do not grow
It would be fair to say that Australia's Minister for Immigration does not have the inner glow

Scott Morrison will never be shortlisted for the Nobel Prize unless he drastically changes his way
That he does not use the power at his disposal in a fair and kind way of him in truth one can say
To say that he is a compassionate person would not be saying what is true
He is not a humanitarian that is to give him his due.

Of January In Duhallow

The cattle in the farmyard shed bellowing for silage and hay
In the frosty dawn of a gray January day
The sparrows chirping on the rafters of the galvanize timber shed
Waiting in expectation of scraps of food and crumbs of bread
That the housewife throws out after breakfast every day
That sparrows do survive on little does seem true to say
January in Duhallow a cold and wet time of year
Where birdsong one cannot expect for to hear
Robin perched on a bare branch feathers fluffed to keep out the cold
The northern Winters take toll on some young birds and on some of the old
The cold freshening wind from the mountains foretelling of rain
Of January in Duhallow the memories with me remain.

Warrnambool's Beautiful Women

For their natural beauty they have won renown
The beautiful women of Warrnambool Town
The pride of the City of South West Victoria's coastal countryside
News of their beauty it has traveled far and wide
In Warrnambool a friendly and welcoming place
Many a smiling and beautiful face
With Australia's best they could hold their own
For it's beautiful women Warrnambool is widely known
Even in Summer the ocean breeze keeps the air cool
In the grand old coastal City of Warrnambool
For it's scenic beauty, friendly people and beautiful women it has won widespread fame
Just three of the good things of Warrnambool that one could name
The pride of the City in Victoria's South West
Warrnambool's beautiful women as fair as Audstralia's best.

I Looked For God

I looked for god in the bushes and trees
That were soughing in the sunshine in the freshening breeze
But no sign of god in the wood anywhere
Though the wild birds of Nature chirped and whistled there
In the park by the bay of god there was no trace
Though peace and beauty there never out of place
The beauty of Nature everywhere around me
But the one i was looking for i did not see
In the paddocks off of the roadway to the coastal town
No sign of god there as i drove up and down
Wherever i looked of god no sign or trace
Till i met an old man with age lines on his face
When i told him i was looking for god with a scratch of his chin
He said in every good person god is living within.

Respect

Everyone ought to be paid the respect to them that is due
But that some are not worth knowing happens to be true
The people who do not respect others and Nature by their deeds and the words they do say
Are not an asset to the World in any way
The praises of respect many may like to sing
But respect in itself is a two sided thing
Yes respect is a thing that must be shared by two
How can you respect one who does not respect you
Those who lack in the gift of respect do deserve sympathy
As they do lack in compassion and empathy
If you cannot say nice things of one why say anything at all
Though some people in their ways can be very small
When i say the disrespectful of the Human World are far more than a few
You may say to this do tell us what is new.

It Is The Fear Of Death

That i am going to die to me obviously clear
But it is the fear of death i only does fear
Since death in itself is a natural thing
Of the praises of the Reaper of lives you will not hear many sing
In his great poem Death The Leveler James Shirley the poet
Of how death makes the monarch and the pauper as equal he so eloquently wrote
Like all other life forms humans are born to die
This a fact of life and fact does not lie
Every day we do live one day nearer to our last day
And our biological clocks ever ticking away
Do not take yourself too seriously enjoy life if you can
And do make the most of your youthful elan
And that i am going to die to me obviously clear
It is the fear of death that i only do fear.

In Millstreet In Duhallow

In Millstreet in Duhallow where Finnow waters flow
Above the bog where the rushes in clusters do grow
The sun hidden behind woolly looking clouds of gray
Where the little brown skylark is singing today
A musical speck in the morning sky
Born in a ground nest to sing he has to fly
And the river bird everyone does seem to know
The dark brown dipper with breast white as snow
With a voice from once heard one could never again get wrong
In River Finnow sings his scratchy song
In Millstreet in Duhallow from here far away
The lark in the gray sky is singing today.

Life Will Be Living In Nature

Though of life like all others i have stories for to tell
I will die and be forgotten as a man of doggerel
In life i have been lucky the gift of life a marvelous thing
And of the beauty all around me i feel happy for to sing

When one looks at life through Nature such great beauty for to see
Though early June in early Winter there is lots of greenery
And though little warmth in the sunshine on a temperature high of fifteen degrees
The magpies they are singing on high branches of gum trees

For early June in early Winter it is such a pleasant day
From this place of peace and beauty utopia cannot be far away
The living beauty in Nature for to view to all is free
Even in the early Winter it is all around me

When to all i am forgotten and the life from me long gone
The life in Nature's beauty will be living on
And life will be living in Nature even in the Winter time
To inspire the poet and artist and the one who loves to rhyme.

Good Memories Though Old

Good memories though old can be a source of joy
I still recall Summer days in Lisnaboy
On their farm with Aunt Mary and Uncle Dan
In my pre teen years before i grew to a man

In July in the meadow on a warm day
In the splendid sunshine making wynds of hay
To the chirping of young birds and the buzzing of bees
And the beautiful sight of butterflies dancing in the mild afternoon breeze

Though back then a boy two decades from my prime
But good memories do survive the decades of time
On going back the years near six decades ago
And since time all of our master has become my foe

Dan and Mary's last remains in Cullen do lay
And since then the dawning of many a day
But good memories of what was never fade away
And in fancy with Dan and Mary i make wynds of hay.

A Strange Thing To Say

About me he never has one good word for to say
Though for this i see him as some sort of a friend in some strange sort of a way
My praises to others he never does sing
But this for me in a way not a bad thing

For had he heaped praise on me as if i were a great
My ego he would only help to inflate
In his harsh judgments of me he does not realize to me he is being kind
As an overinflated ego does crowd compassion out of the mind

That his negative words on me to me in some ways are helpful he does not realize
I feel sure if he did to him it would be a surprise
I have people like him to thank for keeping my ego under control
Too much praise on humility known for to take toll

Of him saying any kind thing of me i cannot recall
But for him i do not have any ill feelings at all
Since he has been helpful to me in a way
Though for me you may think this a strange thing to say.

A God For All People

If there is a god that god is for all
And not for those of royal blood or the belle of the ball
And not for the president, the pope or the squire
Or the millionaire entertainers the gullible masses admire
And not for elite sports people held in high esteem
Though at what they are famed for they may be supreme
A god for all people i am talking about
And not the gods humanity is better off without
The gods that into people hatred instil
And because of at each other shoot for to kill
A god for all people including those in dire poverty
The homeless, the downtrod and the refugee
As well as people on poverty line wages and those on welfare
As much as for the celebrity and the billionaire.

All In Life Is Not Fair

There comes a time when you realize all in life is not fair
But how could you even wish on your worst enemy the black mood of despair
When a way out of your troubles you cannot seem to find
And the dark thoughts of suicide have entered your mind
When in need of help your friends do seem few
Though inner strife to you it is nothing new
Few wish to know of a sad sack of the town
Life is so hard for the mentally and financially down
When your worries to far bigger worries do grow
No room left in your mind for the inner glow
Hope out of your life it all but has gone
But the will in you to live stronger than your wish to die so you will live on
All in life is not fair as you very well know
Little room in your mind left for the inner glow.

Of Late This Is Something

It is said some men grow wiser whilst growing old and gray
But with many aging men i know of it is not this way
For it does seem true indeed you never gain insight
If the windows of your mind are shaded to light
Though both of them to us are useful indeed
Knowledge and wisdom are of different seed
A very knowledgeable person may not be wise
Of late this is something i have come to realize
Few wise Government leaders in the World of today
The reason for so many wars it does seem true to say
By the impressionable patriotic majority in every war street parade
The instigators of war into heroes are made
Many men whilst growing older do not grow wise
Of late this is something i have come to realize.

Jimmy Cooper

One of the finest Gaelic Footballers in Cork and Duhallow and the pride of Millstreet Town
In his young years Jimmy Cooper knew of sporting renown
By old timers around the turf fire on Winter nights stories of him were told
When with distinction he wore Millstreet's famed green and gold

As a young boy i remember Jimmy Cooper he was then an old man
And quite close to the end of his long life span
A tall and noble fellow humble in his way
The passing of time had left him frail and gray

In his passing Jimmy Cooper was farwelled in tears
By those who had known him in his better years
And that few would have heard of him in the Millstreet of today
To say the least does seem a sad thing to say

Old timers of my young years in their reminiscing often did recall
When Jimmy Cooper was famous in Gaelic Football
A legend of Millstreet of the long ago
Till time it eventually became his foe

To the best of my knowledge he never had children or never had a wife
And in the Millstreet he loved he lived out his life
By all accounts a brilliant Gaelic Footballer and quick on his feet
With distinction he wore the green and gold of Millstreet.

Australian Little Ravens

So little of their ways i can claim to know
The little raven known to some as the pale eyed crow
When they caw the long black feathers under their throats stand out
And that they are Nature's survivors does go without doubt
In large numbers in most places they seem to abound
Countryside, city or town to them is homeground
From the larger Australian raven not hard to differentiate
Like most species of corvid harsh climatic conditions they can tolerate
From where humans are they are never far away
Little ravens are birds i do see every day
Where other species of birds in Climate Change are endangered they seem to thrive
Australian little ravens as a species are born to survive
In the harshest of environments though little about them i do know
These birds many refer to as the pale eyed crow.

The Local Pub On A Saturday

The local pub on a Saturday evening is a place of noise
Where alcohol reduces some grown men to the status of unruly schoolboys
And few Saturdays go by without a pub brawl
Some young men not suited to consumption of alcohol at all
Drinking of alcohol a change for the worst in some young men bring about
Beer and spirits they would be far better off without
Death by the coward punch is not uncommon today
Those lacking in self control should give drinking of alcohol away
Yet i do know many who do drink till closing time at night
And never be argumentative or never look for fight
With themselves and the World they do seem at peace
Whilst alcohol for some becomes an anger release
The local pub can be quite noisy on a Saturday night
Where heated words often does lead to a fight.

The Duhallow Beauties Of The Mid Fifties To The Mid Sixties

Perhaps some of them married and have raised their children and are the aging grandmothers of today
And some of them south of Duhallow aging in cities far away
Old memories do live on as a source of joy
Of Duhallow's young beauties when i was a boy

Since we are born to eventually die true to say
Perhaps some of them amongst the deceased now lay
And some of them in hair dye cloak their silver gray
Eventually everyone becomes a victim of time's decay

Perhaps on their flights of fancy in nostalgia they recall
Of how they danced in the Maple and the Star Ballrooms and the Edel Quinn Hall
Where they socialized fell in love in or near their life's prime
And this is going back some six decades in time

The Duhallow beauties of the mid fifties to the mid sixties physically have known a better day
Time does not wait for anyone as the wise one does say
On looking back the decades the years seemed to have gone fast
And memories are all we have left of the past.

The Great Gift Of Hope

You may be one who is racked by inner strife
One who has lived on the tough streets of life
 But with lack of success you have learned to cope
So marvelous indeed is the great gift of hope
Poverty stricken and homeless in the poor side of the town
You know how it feels to be financially down
In life you despair of getting to anywhere
But a tiny voice within tells you to hang in there
To suicidal feelings you refuse to give in
In life eventually your turn will come for to win
Young and homeless on the tough streets your parents in jail
Where lesser would perish you refuse for to fail
But all is not lost since hope from you has not gone
And homeless on the poor streets in life you battle on.

A Rhymer From Old Claraghatlea

A rhymer from old Claraghatlea one of a dying breed
Though of my kind the Human World is surely not in need
Not considered to be poets now people of rhyme
It does seem that everything does have it's time

As is said it is easy to rhyme take for example breeze
Is a word that never does fail for to rhyme with sneeze
Yes anybody can rhyme it does seem this way
I add to my numbers of rhymes every day

Yet in my flights of fancy i can hear the rill
With a silver tongue that is never still
From it's place of birth the high field by the hill
It flows to the river to the sea with a will

The rhymes come to me in notebook i write them down
But never for money or literary renown
As a rhymer i may not be one to the fore
I just write for enjoyment and little else more

In old Claraghatlea my journey in life began
And there i lived as a boy and grew into a man
I wrote my first rhymes in nineteen seventy three
And the love of rhyme made a rhymer of me.

In An Honorable And Decent Person

In an honorable and decent person never anything cheap
In life it is true what we sow is what we do reap
A time old truism that applies to us all
Any good deed you perform is never too small

One only can live life as good as one can
This applies to every woman and to every man
I only say here what i know to be true
In life we receive what is only our due

One must pity those whose minds are clouded in greed
For the betterment of humanity they never sow the seed
And lucky are those who do give to receive
On what it takes to live a successful life they do believe

In every honorable and decent person there is so much to admire
And of singing their praises one never could tire
By word or by deed they never put anyone down
And they are a credit to their side of the town.

Happens To Be True

The now is all that does matter as the wise one does say
And the birth of tomorrow will bring a new day
And the birth of June at the death of May
And yesterday has gone and time ticking away
Nothing in life ever does seem to last
And all we can do is to learn from the past
For our every mistake in life some price to pay
We do learn as we live it does seem this way
It is said as we age that wiser we do grow
Yet so little of life's ways i can claim to know
Though i have lived for many years and time has left my hair gray
I learn as i live something new every day
And though from life we receive what is only our due
We learn as we live happens to be true.

The First Day Of June

The first day of June and the southern calendar Winter in the dawn cool and gray
The magpies are warbling for to herald the day
The long range weather forecast has June far cooler and wetter than May
But it is Summer by the mountains from here far away
The skylark leaves the bracken and above the mountain does fly
A musical speck in the morning sky
And birds proclaiming their territory in the leafy groves sing
In their nesting time to July from the early Spring
On the first day of the Southern Winter the rain drizzling down
At dawn on the quiet streets of the old coastal town
And though Winter can be a cool and wet time of year
Every Winter dawn  to the Spring brings us one more day near
The first day of Winter in the dawning drizzling and gray
The magpie is singing for to herald the day.

The Last Day Of Autumn

The calendar Winter just a few hours away
The weather quite good for Autumn's last day
Overall it was quite warm and dry for May
Quite unseasonal weather in truth one might say
The weather patterns of late to say the least strange
Perhaps this would have to do with Climate Change
By the long range weather forecast it will be a dry Winter this year
From many parts of  the Country of drought conditions we do hear
Climate Change brought about by Global Warming is now Worldwide
And that humans in this some part does play cannot be denied
The burning of fossil fuels in gray smoke pumping carbon to the sky
Of unseasonal weather this could be one reason why
For the time of year the weather warm and dry
That this a sign of Climate Change seems hard to deny.

A Diversion From The Cares Of Life

For most football fans football is a diversion from the cares of life
A temporary relief from the tension born of inner strife
They meet on Saturday after the game at the pub
Their lives seem to revolve around their football club
When their football team lose they feel and look sad
Without a football win to celebrate their weekend for them bad
Football as important to them in their lives
That is how it does seem as their children and wives
And in the pub when their team has kicked a winning score
They sing their club anthem to a loud encore
The praises of their favorite footballers and their favorite club they do sing
Football in their lives is a most important thing
On their moods how their team perform do depend
For them it can be a happy or a sad weekend.

I Never Refer

I never refer to myself as a poet
Nor am i one worthy of literary note
Though i am one who has penned a whole pile of rhyme
Since my twenty seventh year in seventy three in my physical prime

I am not one to hide behind a mask of false humility
If that was the case i would not be fooling anybody but me
I am one of those who has penned rhymes by the score
I just write for enjoyment and little else more

In far away fields i often daydreamed of fame
That mine would become a great literary name
But daydreams for so few do ever come true
And from life i receive what is only my due

My mental and physical best days long gone
But true to my calling in life i rhyme on
To say i will quit rhyming would be telling a lie
I hope to be doing it till the day i do die

For many years i have been a rhyming buff
I am one of those who has penned piles of stuff
My best years in life some four decades ago
And time everyone's master has become my foe.

My Past Goes With Me

Wherever i go to my past goes with me
In my visualizations old friends i do see
And though them i may never see again
As young in my memory they do remain

The birds of my boyhood i fancy i hear
They sing in the grove to my thoughts ever near
Amongst Nature's greenery in the prime of the Spring
The wonders of Nature is an amazing thing

Some say the what has been is in the forever gone
But wherever i go to my past follows on
In my thoughts the dipper singing in the rill
That babbles to the river down the field by the hill

And though time itself it has become my foe
My past goes with me to wherever i do go
I thought i had left it by the mountains far away
Only to find that it remains in me today.

Humble People Are Rare

I have not met many of the humble of late
In the twenty first century humility does seem out of date
Self promotion nowadays it does seem the in thing
So many only too happy their own praises to sing
And so many find delight in telling you of how great they are
For to meet their sort one does not need to walk far
Humble people are rare in the Human World of today
And this in itself does seem a sad thing to say
Though self praise it is no praise in the words of the wise
In a World where success is seen as most important this is not a surprise
In those the adoring masses celebrate
Big egos are never that hard to inflate
A down to earth person i seldom do meet
In the Human World no shortage of self conceit.

The National Poet Of Ireland

The National Poet of Ireland who died in eighteen forty nine
With the then gentry of Dublin he never did wine and dine
James Clarence Mangan died of consumption at forty six years old
The story of his tragic life is one that has often been told

He wrote the National Poem of Ireland the beautiful 'Dark Rosaleen'
In his sad life the face of hardship he had often seen
His marvelous poems generations of young Irish poets inspire
Poems such as 'A Vision Of Connacht' and 'O Hussey's Ode To the Maguire'

There is little doubt that Mangan was a major Irish poet
Yet lesser poets than he was seen to be more worthy of note
He died quite young in famine times without a penny to his name
For the National Poet of Ireland it was a hungry road to fame

The names of many good poets of Ireland to the ways of time have gone
But as the National Poet of the Country the fame of Mangan does live on
Since he died in his forty sixth year one hundred and sixty five years in time has gone
But in his marvelous poetry his fame is living on.

A Weak Minded Coward

His supposed nearest and dearest of him live a fearful life
He is a cowardly man who beats his children and wife
Since violence towards the defenceless is quite cowardly indeed
The Human World of his sort is definitely not in need
Domestic violence on the increase in the World of today
And this is a sad thing for to have to say
In many cases of domestic violence the law does seem slack
In it's implementation of penalties against violent offenders it does seem to lack
Family violence like all forms of violence is a serious crime
And those guilty of such ought to serve prison time
And though many jailed for it known to re-offend
The law is lenient on offenders of domestic violence why otherwise pretend
The man who is violent to his wife and children may feel self empowered
But in reality he is a weak minded coward.

Patricia Kelly

As Patricia McSwiney in Glounthaune in Cullen she lived in her early years of life
Before she came to live in Coomlogane as the late Pat Kelly's wife
They lived by Green Glens of show jumping renown
A five to eight minutes walk at most from Millstreet Town

A school teacher like her late husband in Coomlogane they raised their family
She was well known and well liked in the Millstreet community
Yet of a humble quiet achiever when memories of her we recall
One who never did yearn for the limelight at all

Grieved by her friends and her family as a good person in life she was known
In her teaching in young minds the seeds of knowledge she has sown
Millstreet better for her living in it in truth one can say
And so much the worse off for her passing today

Though never to be seen in Coomlogane or Millstreet Town again
In all who knew her good memories of her will remain
From life's cares and suffering death brings to all a release
And the good person Patricia Kelly may she now rest in peace.