Australia

Why so many people wish for to live there is something i can well understand
The very last stop from Utopia Australia this wonderful Land
Many parts of it not heavily populated by people in the outback many kilometers between every bush town
For it's wide open spaces and rugged beauty Australia has won World renown
For it's unique species of wildlife such as monoterenes, ratites, megapodes and marsupials Australia has a charm of it's own
Australia for it's hundreds of species of birds and animals to lovers of Nature well known
The Land of the people of the Dreamtime in time quite a very old race
Their ancestors have lived in Australia far too long for historians to trace
All of this makes Australia a tourist destination for people from Countries Worldwide
That Australia is an amazing Country is a fact that cannot be denied
Than Australia no better Country for to live in truth of it one only can say
It's people are tolerant of strangers most Aussies are kind in their own way
A sunny Land of varying climates the home of pittosporums, gums and wattle trees
Australia the great Land Down Under home to many migrants and many refugees.

A Human World Of Winners And Losers

A Human World of winners and losers is the sort of World that we are living in
Where many do end up as losers just for a few for to have a win
Yet many of the wealthiest of people can be spiritually poor in some way
Everyone becomes a loser when Life's Reaper on our lives has the say
Those who happen to be wealthy and famous are people many do admire
The people who look up to people known for their money huge amounts of money themselves do desire
But the way that you treat people does say far more about you
Than all of your Worldly possessions and the power that goes with them can do
I do like compassionate people for the welfare of others they genuinely does care
Their gift to them is such a blessing and with others their gift they do share
I believe you cannot be a winner if you are not compassionate and kind
A fact that of many are ignorant and ignorance as said can be blind
A Human World of winners and losers where many lack in empathy
And for those who find life a hard battle there is never that much sympathy.

Coogorah Park

Near where the Anglesea River into the Pacific does flow
Is a coastal wetlands that many a lover of Nature does know
Coogorah Park a haven for water birds near Anglesea Town
As a tourist attraction a place of renown
So many species of water birds do reside there
As anyone would wish for to see anywhere
Little grebe, moorhen, coot, swamphen and cormorant in numbers abound
And great egret, wood duck, chestnut teal and black duck reside all year round
As well as black swan and pelican, pacific gull, silver gull and tern as well
Where there are thousands of waterbirds at any give time how many none could tell
Of Coogorah Park wetlands the mental images with me will remain
Of a place that i would love to visit again
The Nature strips around the ponds and small lakes there are bushy and green
A park where Nature at her very finest is seen
Where the Anglesea River towards the Pacific slowly winds it's way
At the end of it's journey from it's source far away.

On The Death Of Numan Haider

Though he did die in a horrific way
In death he found peace of him one can say
Young Numan Haider brought about the end of his life
When he attacked and wounded two police officers with a sharp edged knife

At eighteen years of age a long life of him ahead
But in an Endeavor Hills car park a policeman shot him dead
He may not have died as a hero but can one say he was bad
Since to do what he did he must have been slightly mad?

To brand Numan Haider a terrorist to me seems a media based lie
The police gave him his wish for his wish was to die
Though the majority with this sort of thinking may not agree
Death by cop was his wish it does seem to me

Terrorists attack unarmed civilians Numan did not do that he attacked armed policemen instead
This is the only reason that he is now dead
Though such violent behavior one cannot condone
Leave it to the one without sin for to cast the verbal stone

I have yet to read in any newspaper that Numan Haider in his mind was not mentally well
The true story of why he died in this way the media refuse to tell
He may have been many things but a terrorist he was not
And of how he lived he may not be remembered but of how he died he will not be forgot.

Perfection Is Not A Thing

Perfection is not a thing anyone can achieve
And that no one is truly perfect one can only believe
And what we put into life we can expect to receive
The words of a wise one though sometimes words can deceive
That the good are rewarded in some ways is not always true
From life everyone does not receive from life what is their due
I know of some good people in life doing it tough
Their day to day existence on them hard enough
And that age does not bring with it wisdom i have come to realize
I know of many aging people who are not that wise
Suppose you can only be the best you can be
Since perfection is not possible would you not agree?
But those willing to help those of helping in need
Of future good Karma are planting the seed.

It Is Always My Lack Of Money

It is always my lack of money that does make a failure of me
For money does speak every language as most people would surely agree
But this is how life it seems to work and this is how it always will be
And everyone is considered a loser who lives in or close to poverty
In the World are billions of losers if success through money is what life is about
The one lacking in money like the beaten boxer is the one of success counted out
Does this mean that people who work for the Homeless and Stateless without the reward of monetary pay
Are not looked upon as successful in this twenty first century of today?
Suppose we all cannot be winners in a World where for one to win many must lose
Though losing is something anyone would never purposely choose
So many are in dire poverty in the World for every millionaire
And for millions of people it does seem that life does not seem very fair
I have never harmed anyone or i have never been in jail
But in the eyes of many due to my lack of money i am looked on as one who did fail.

Though You

Though you feel like giving up on life and on suicide you contemplate
Such a death is not one the living does celebrate
For suicide to life is an inglorious end
It is not a good way to die why otherwise pretend
Of your financial problems for you suicide may be a way out
But for to face every challenge is what life is about
You have heard the old saying where there is life there is hope
But with life's toughest challenge some cannot cope
And so on their existence they decide to call time
Some even suicide in good health and in their life's prime
They gave up in hope of the future ahead
And choose for to be where all hope is dead
But life as usual in the World does go on
And they are in the silence of the forever gone.

A Nice Day

A nice day for a fitness enthusiast to go for a run
And jog for an hour in the park in the sun
Or if you are one who like to relax to lay in the shade of the trees
Out of the full sun to the buzzing of bush flies and bees
The song of the blackbird melodious and clear
He sings his best at this time of year
In south west Victoria in September Nature at her finest is seen
The parks and the paddocks are looking quite green
And the fruit bearing trees wear their pink blossoms of Spring
And the wild-born nesting birds chirp, whistle and sing
A weather forecast high for the day of twenty degrees
With nice spells of sunshine and only a slight breeze
And everywhere so green after recent rain
With such pleasant weather how can one complain.

Old Harry

Old Harry the batchelor is a cynical bloke
Since he does look at life as a bit of a joke
He says he is one without any uni degrees
Though they too have been known to cough and to sneeze

Of those who boast of their successes he claims to have had a gutfull
Amongst those that he does dismiss as full of bull
To him all humans are born with some flaw
And birth is by chance and of natural law

Old Harry never married though he did father a son
Who drowned swimming in the sea when he was twenty one
For Harry this indeed was his saddest day
Since then he sees life in a cynical way

Yet to his dream of an egalitarian Human World Old Harry does cling
Of the praises of rank one who never does sing
To the positive thinkers a cynical bloke
But he is a man who can laugh at a joke

For years a barracker and a member of the town's football club
One well known and well  liked at the local pub
Old Harry is partial to the glass of cheer
And he is always happy when drinking a beer.

The Conservative Politicians

The conservative politicians rule the Country and amongst them not one kind face
For the poor, the homeless and the marginalized in their future plans for the Country there is not any place
Before the election for the poor of the Nation they pretend for to care
Whilst in truth any thought of sympathy for them they do not have to spare
They feign sympathy for them in hope of their vote
But in so doing their own self interest they only do promote
Yet many of the Nation's poor are already aware
That conservative politicians only serve the millionaire
And try to make sure that the social gap does remain wide
All conservative politicians are on the wealthy side
Yet the majority of the voters elected them to govern on election day
So of the majority this surely does say
That with those who represent the wealthy their loyalties remain
And that with money friends you are certain to gain.

A Man Of The Boggeraghs

I was born and raised near where the rivers do meet
A mile and a quarter west of the Town of Millstreet
The accent i was born into has come far south with me
A man of the Boggeraghs is all i can be
For many years i have been a rhyming buff
And i am one who has penned a whole pile of stuff
Without the reward of money or scarce any fame
This penning of rhyme can be a hungry belly game
My physical best days in the forever gone
And i must be addicted to rhyming for to keep rhyming on
But i could not quit rhyming though hard i may try
For that i do enjoy doing it i will not deny
A rhymer of Claraghatlea near Millstreet Town
Where i used to live when my hair was dark brown.

The Doctor's Widow

She may cloak the wrinkles of time's decay
And in hair dye hide aging's natural gray
Like many she try to hide age in this way
But for her like us all there will be a last night and day

That she is in her early eighties to look at her would be hard to tell
For her years the the doctor's widow looking pretty, slim and physically well
Amazing what a face lift, good diet and anti aging products can do
She does not look a day older than fifty two

Her shoulder length wavy hair she has dyed chestnut brown
The octogenarian belle of the town
Always dressed to perfection to go with her nice suntan
Her idea is to attract a handsome and virile and wealthy middle aged man

Ten times a grandmother time she tries to defy
But that time beats the proudest and best none ought to deny
And the handsome and wealthy middle aged men of the town are not looking her way
Somehow hidden in her makeup they can see time's decay

And since he has divorced from his attractive middle aged wife
The middle aged male wants a beautiful young woman in his life
To many men an aging woman is like salt to the tongue
It does seem a male thing for to like women young

With anti aging products she tries to hide time's decay
And for one in her early eighties she looks more than okay
As she seeks the attention of a middle aged wealthy man
Who needs the beauty of youth to boost his fading elan.

The World Out There

It is a big World the World out there
And not one can say that they have been to everywhere
And though many have seen more of it than me
To visit every village, town and city in the World is not a possibility
I cannot say in life i have been there and done that
Though far from my first home place i am growing old and fat
And compared to many well traveled people so little i can claim to have seen
Since i last see the bluebell in bloom on the ditch of the bohreen
With those who say it is a small World i cannot say i do agree
So much of it in my lifetime that i never will see
Though it has been many years since i last saw Clara above Claramore
For i do live far south of my first Homeland shore
Unlike the title of the song 'It's A Small World After All'
The World out there is not in any way small.

Though Some

Though some to how life should be lived even on their death bed do cling
Fundamentalism of any sort is not a good thing
The fundamentalists can only see life in their way
And to any other way of thinking any respect never pay
Fundamentalists see those with different beliefs to them as quite bad
But for them in their thinking one can only feel a bit sad
They judge others for their religion or lack of it and they lack in empathy
And for the suffering of those who are different to them they cannot feel sympathy
There are fundamentalists in every town in every Country and fundamentalism can be of any creed
But their sort of people to humanity are not an asset fundamentalism as a branch of extremism we do not need
Some fundamentalists do take their beliefs so seriously that it does lead them to serious crime
When the anger in them bubbles over that had been simmering over a period of time
Though some who believe how life ought to be lived to their beliefs cling to till their last day
The World would be far worse to live in if they had things all of their own way.

The Rose Of The Allow

Kanturk in Duhallow where River Allow does flow
A Town in North Cork that of i used to know
Though i have not been to there for many a day
Since from the fields by the Boggeraghs i do live far away

My memories take me back many Seasons in time
To when the Rose of the Allow was in her life's prime
Of dark shoulder length wavy hair and eyes of light brown
The finest in her time in old Kanturk Town

One of the most beautiful of the nubile young Duhallow women then
She was the dream girl of many young North Cork men
At the dances in the Star Ballroom in Millstreet and Kanturk's Edel Quinn Hall
She took pride of place as the belle of the ball

But in Kanturk in Duhallow she was not destined to stay
She followed her love of travel to the U S of A
Her future was not to grow old in Kanturk it does seem this way
And she is in her mid seventies if she is living today

I am talking of years in the long ago
And time as we know becomes everyone's foe
The Rose of the Allow when in her life's prime
Though this is going back many Seasons in time.

Where The Powlett Does Flow

Above the scrubland of Kilcunda the lark sing as he fly
A musical speck in the grey of the sky
And on a stunted gum tree a black pale eyed crow
Utters his long drawn out caws where old Powlett does flow
On by the sand dunes to the Pacific shore
Where it has flowed forever and will flow forever more
In the home of South Gippsland's first people the legendary Bunurong
In the long gone centuries to this country they did belong
They hunted and fished and had their corroborees
In Summer by the Powlett in the shade of the trees
Above their old home-place the lark sings today
A musical speck in the clouds of gray
And on a stunted gum tree a black pale eyed crow
Is cawing in the quiet of the morning where the Powlett does flow

Rhyme On Old Fellow

I know all too well that my rhymes are a bit rough
To be taken as serious not quite good enough
But we all cannot be famous and looked on as great
And only the few the masses celebrate

Any hope of success as a rhymer from me long since gone
But i enjoy rhyming and i will rhyme on
And no shortage of things for to write rhymes about
Though in literature nowadays rhyming does seem out

Such beautiful weather for September in Spring
The fruit trees in blossom and the nesting birds sing
To write rhymes about Mother Nature is never a hard thing
So much joy to so many she always does bring

The rhymes do come to me and in notebook i pen them down
Without any thought of material gain or renown
Just something i love doing and little else more
Though amongst rhymers i will never be to the fore

I know as a rhymer i do not make the grade
Though every writer is needed in the wordsmith trade
And whenever i think of giving rhyming away
Rhyme on old fellow my inner voice does say.

Zumba In Aubane

On the Butter Road in Mushera Valley above Millstreet Town
Is Aubane a place for Irish traditional music and dancing that has earned some renown
A cultural shift is occurring in the Aubane Hall
And change for the better is better than no change at all

Linda a Zumba tutor about to introduce to Aubane a new aerobic dance craze
A form of exercise for loosening up old bones that has won Worldwide praise
That incorporates many dance movements into aerobics now known Worldwide
Is now in Aubane in Duhallow in the high countryside

Introduced to the World by the famous Colombian dancer and aerobics teacher Beto Perez in dance as a new in thing
Aging dancers Worldwide the praises of Zumba does sing
It loosens aging bones and to tired feet brings back the spring
To the great gift of youth the desire is for to cling

Yes Zumba does bring back the spring to tiring aging feet
And the Aubane Irish dancers the pride of Millstreet
From doing Zumba will recapture some of the energy of their lives prime
Zumba will help them for to turn back the decades of time

And in the Aubane Hall for three hours or more
They will dance jigs and reels as never before
For Zumba the aerobic dance movement the in thing of the day
Brings back life to aging feet the lovers of Zumba does say.

Farewell To The Hero

Farewell to the hero he has played his last game
Though the club without him may not be the same
His best days as a footballer one can say had been gone
But in the minds of the fans his fame will live on
Always happy in victory and gracious in defeat
Eight times the clubs best and fairest a remarkable feat
But the heroes do come and the heroes do go
And eventually time becomes everyone's foe
But he sure was a credit to his code of football
To the club and the game he gave it his all
But today on his four hundred game for the club he called it a day
And was shouldered high by his team mates from the field of play
Farewell to the hero men like him are rare
His fame will live on as the club's greatest player.

The God Within

The most compassionate of all gods is the god within
The one who has the personal power of the forgiveness of sin
The god within does reside in the mind
Of every person who is compassionate and kind
The people who have the god within are nice people to know
As they are generous and compassionate and have the inner glow
And all of these traits the source of empathy
For those doing it tough they do feel sympathy
In the mind of every good person for the god within there's a place
The one who does not have a color or race
The god who does not have a religion or creed
And for good in the human World does sow the good seed
And those of such a god are quite blessed indeed
Though of more of their kind the human World is in need

Human Life Works In This Way

In life if you make friends more than likely you will make a few foes
This is human Nature one would have to suppose
A very old truism i do recall
That you well may win many but you will not win them all
You may be as honest as honest can be
And in your dealing with others stay true to honesty
But due to jealousy or for some other reason some will not like you
That you cannot win them all does seem only too true
It is even a foolish thought to even pretend
That everyone you know or know of  wants to be your friend
At least anyhow this is how it seems to me
Though many with this i am sure would disagree
Even once good friendships can come to acrimonious end
Human life works in this way why otherwise pretend.

Every Migrant

Every migrant has a village, town or city they refer to as home
To the Athenian it is Athens to the Melburnian it is Melbourne to the Roman it is Rome
To the Parisian it is Paris to the Londoner it is London and to the Timbuctoo migrant home will always be Timbuctoo
And to the Berliner it is Berlin and to the Kalamazoo migrant home is Kalamazoo
To the Muscovite it is Moscow and though from there they live far away
To the migrant from Bombay his or her home is always Bombay
And to the ex pat from Quebec home as Quebec does remain
And to the one from Barcelona home will always be Barcelona in Spain
Old allegiances do die hard as the wise one does say
The migrant from Budapest loyal to his first home of Budapest does stay
And to the migrant born and raised in Rio from there in distance living far
His or her home will always be Rio though unable to reach there by car
When the ex pat New Yorker talks of home it is always New York
And for me home will always be Millstreet Town County Cork.

You Dislike In Others

You dislike in others what you dislike in you
A time old truism that remains ever true
Those we think that are perfect are not without some flaw
For perfection is not part of natural law
But the flaws that we see in others in ourselves we do see
Though many with such thinking may not agree
What we dislike in ourselves we prefer to disown
Such thinking is not new and to many is known
But the flawed they are many and the near perfect are few
Though to this you may say tell us something that is new
If everything were near to perfect there would not be poverty. wars or crime
But the behavior of human beings has not changed much over time
Some imperfect human beings behead other human beings today
And does this not seem a very sad thing for to say?

Oh Lucky The One

Oh lucky the one who can smile every day
Though for him or her things are not going their way
Such people in truth i can only admire
And of singing their praises i never could tire
Wherever they are joy is to be found
They carry it with them and spread it around
They refuse to allow life for to get them down
The flag bearers for happiness in every town
One can say of them they have the inner glow
And of their sort of people a few i do know
Of a happier World to live in they do sow the seed
Though of more of their kind the Human World is in need
And so lucky the one who can smile every day
Though for her or him things are not going their way.

And What If

And what if i only do pen doggerel
Since of life i too have my own stories to tell
Though i cannot say i have been there and done that
I have worked in a pipeline crew near Ballarat

And since my gift of memory does serve me well
I enjoyed my nights in the Bunny Hotel
Where with my workmates in Kelleher and Cunningham's crew
Of Carlton beer we drank more than a few

And in Duhallow and Muskerry's high country in bracken to my knees
I worked with chain saw felling and paring trees
In all sorts of weather conditions and in truth i can say
To earn one's money than this there is more than one easier way

It was the lust of the wander that lured me far south
Of the home of the badger and the brown river trout
Just one of many to leave the first home place
Where today mine to many would be a stranger's face

In forty years of rhyming i have written a whole pile of rhyme
Which some would consider as a waste of good time
Since from it i know neither money or fame
But it is something i do enjoy doing just the same

Far south of the place where my life's journey began
I am in the twilight of my lifetime span
And though as success goes i have not done at all well
I too do have my own life stories to tell.

Young Fred

In his mid twenties the always well dressed young Fred
One can say of him that he is choicely bred
His dad is a doctor and his mum is as well
Of his pedigree without asking to you he will tell

Without asking he will tell you that he
Is a practicing scientist with a science degree
A proud dad of a lovely baby daughter and with a beautiful though seemingly snobbish wife
He is one who has a lot to be thankful for in his life

Since of his achievements he does like to brag
For self promotion he helps for to carry the flag
On talking to him i always do feel a bit down
Since it makes me realize i am one of the non achievers of the town

But for everyone like Fred there has to be one like me
For we all cannot be winners would you not agree
His type of person helps to instil in me self doubt
Since i have nothing in my life that i can brag about

When in the town park or walking the street
The young scientist Fred is one i sometimes does meet
And without asking he tells me of his latest success
Suppose his telling of his achievements his sense of happiness

But i would prefer not to meet him in truth i can say
For his kind does never bring joy to my day
Since in my life i have nothing about for to brag
Like the well beaten racehorse behind the winner i do lag.

On Hearing A Skylark

High above the scrub he sing as he fly
Like a musical speck in the grey of the sky
Which brings back old memories to me from far away
When i heard his kind singing in the prime of the May
Singing out of view in the clouds of grey
Above a rushy field in the twilight of day
The song of a lark rekindles in me
Of what was in my mind a fading memory
Of when i was a younger man many Seasons ago
Long before this thing known as time did become my foe
But hearing a skylark above the scrub sing
Bring back to me memories of a long gone Spring
In the grey clouds of the sky from view he disappear
Though his beautiful song is a joy for to hear.

In My Visualizations

In my visualizations old friends i do meet
As i walk on the streets in the Town of Millstreet
And since i have last seen them they have not aged a day
In my mental images of them as they were they do stay
And though few things in life ever does seem to last
I often do think of my friends of the past
Good memories of past friends with me does remain
And in my flights of fancy i see them again
Nostalgia no longer has me close to tears
Though i often think back on the now long gone years
But time has left me feeling and looking old and grey
And the biological clock ever ticking away
It has been many years since my hair was dark brown
In my physical best years near old Millstreet Town.

It Is Not

It is not your Nationality or skin color of black, white or brown
Or if you live in the poor or the wealthy side of the town
It is the sort of values that reside in your mind
You cannot live as a good person if you are not compassionate and kind
Those who see success in the accumulation of money have got it all wrong
Though the belief on this way of thinking in many is strong
But if you are one for those doing it tough who does not feel sympathy
Then you have to be one lacking in empathy
And your lack of empathy that is born of compassion tells us more about you
Than all of your material possessions can do
Though the praises of the wealthy and famous the masses may sing
The accumulation of money and a successfully lived life quite a different thing
You cannot be truly successful if you are not caring and kind
And these things belong in the beautiful mind.

In Wonthaggi Today

Men do not mine for brown coal in Wonthaggi today
In what was a hard way for to earn one's pay
Many decades ago young men to work in the mines migrated to there from Lands far away
Where many of them married and raised their children and grew old and gray

Many of the original Wonthaggi miners hailed from Italy
They labored in the mines to support their family
Many of the young people of the Wonthaggi of today have an Italian surname
As proof of the Land of where from their ancestors came

In the cemetery off of Cameron Street the bones of Wonthaggi's first miners lay
They were honest and hard working people of them one can say
To bring a new culture to Wonthaggi one of their claims to renown
They grew old and died in the South Gippsland Town

Where a people proud of their culture and history reside
A tourist destination for many from places far and wide
Who visit the home of coastal South Gippsland's first people known as the Bunurong
Today their spirits live in legend, story and song

A South Gippsland coastal Town with a coal mining past
But few things in life ever do seem to last
No mining for brown coal in Wonthaggi today
Time brings with it changes as some do like to say.

That Everybody Is Good At Something

Though from life you feel you are not receiving what is your due
That everybody is good at something does happen to be true
A World of winners and losers is a human created thing
And only of the wealthy and celebrated and the seen as successful the praises of others do sing
And though you may not be seen as successful and in life disappointment your only gain
That you too are good at something the fact does remain
For there is no such a thing as a useless person as some do say
Though winners and losers are words by the judgmental that are used every day
And though the rewards you expect for effort from your work you do not receive
That on everybody is good at something  i do truly believe
As wealthy and famous you may never be
But at the end of life's journey we all become equal would you not agree?
And what has often been said by others i say once again
That everybody is good at something as a fact does remain.

The Great Gift Of Memory

The past in the real sense in the forever gone
But in the memory of your mind it is living on
Your life's good and bad memories with you do stay
And will be with you till your last night and day
The things in your life you have lived to regret
Despite years of time you remember them yet
And your good memories as a source of joy with you remain
In your happy moments to visit again
Our life's sadness and joy and regrets to us it does bring
The great gift of memory is a marvelous thing
And though some memories do come to us at a cost
Those who lose their memory become mentally lost
The praises of it i feel happy to sing
The great gift of memory is a marvelous thing.

Since Respect Must Go Both Ways

Since respect must go both ways would you not agree
I struggle to respect those who do not respect me
Those who see me as inferior to them in every way
Respect to them i do find it quite hard for to pay
Though their sort of people i do meet every day
Their sort of mind games i would rather not play
Since i try to look on everyone as the same
The poor homeless one and the one of wealth and fame
It is a fact and fact does never lie
That we are born as all life forms to die
From the Reaper of lives no place for us to hide
So called important people in cemeteries Worldwide
So why should i respect those who do not respect me in any way
Since for all of us in life there is a final day.

Whilst Some With Their Grudges

Some people crimes against them are able to forgive
Whilst others all of their lives with their grudges do live
And hatred like a cancer in the mind it does grow
And quenches the bright light of the inner glow
Those who have compassion too have empathy
And even for those who sin against them can feel sympathy
I do envy them for their goodness of mind
Some people in their ways are so very kind
We all are quite different  one has to suppose
And some better than others at making for themselves foes
But compassionate people are blessed indeed
For good Karma in life they do plant the good seed
Whilst some with their grudges their lifetime does live
They cannot forget and they cannot forgive.

The Vineyards Of France And The Fields Of Millstreet

I too like him have had to choke back the tears
In moments of nostalgia for the long gone years
Back in the days when my hair was dark brown
When i was a younger man west of Millstreet Town

His background in many ways different to mine
In the place where he came from they grow grapes for wine
He is aging far south of his homeland of France
And our meeting today it was only by chance

Yet some things in common we did have to share
We both are descendants of Celts of which he was aware
And we both are migrants in this southern Land
Where our ways of speaking some struggle to understand

From the vineyards of France and from the fields of Millstreet
At the crossroads of life we briefly did meet
With a parting smile he bid me a good day
As on his life's journey he went on his way

And meeting him woke the nostalgia in me
For my youthful years and the what used to be
When with Pudsy the dog when my hair was dark brown
I hunted in the old fields west of Millstreet Town.

We Only Can Be

We only can be the best that we can be
This applies to everyone and everyone includes you and me
Some are more flawed than others but each of us have some flaw
Perfection is not part of natural law
How you live as a person is all up to you
If you choose to do good in the World then good you will do
The person who only lives for self alone
Is living a life that is hard to condone
For selfishness of mind is a mentally unhealthy thing
And the praises of such seems impossible to sing
On Karma i am one who happens for to believe
And those who give out of kindness good Karma can expect to receive
But there are all sorts of personalities in the World of today
This is how people are and they will always be this way.

Just For Pleasure And Enjoyment

Just for pleasure and enjoyment my only form of pay
I am one of the people who writes rhymes every day
To write rhymes no pressure on the brain to me
Though if i got paid for doing it how nice this would be
I used to love reading rhymes as a young school going boy
And writing them now is a thing i do enjoy
In nineteen seventy three i wrote my first rhyme
In years this is going back four decades in time
I never refer to myself as a poet
Nor am i one worthy of literary note
And though my worth as a rhymer i always do doubt
No shortage of subjects for me to write rhymes about
And though some do advise me for to give it away
I hope to be writing rhymes till my life's final day.

On Pee Wees

Of Australian birds a favorite to many is the black and white pee wee
Their kind every day i do hear and do see
They build a cup shaped nest of mud on fork of branch of tree
The female lays pale eggs with brown spots of five, four or three
Also known as mudlark, murray magpie or magpie lark
Birds seen all over Australia in back yards or town park
Birds once heard and once seen that one can never mistake
They call out pee wee in the grey of daybreak
They sing on all Seasons every day of the year
And their familiar song one often does hear
Of the birds of Australia one of the best known
One can say of pee wees they have ways of their own
They can be seen on the town streets, back yards or town park
Also known as mudlark, murray magpie or to some magpie lark.

Scottish Jock

It was his lust of adventure that brought him far south
Of the fields of the badger and the streams of the brown trout
More than fifty years ago Jock left the countryside of Aberdeen
And since much of the big World out there he has seen

When i asked him would the Scottish of the Union with Britain vote to break free
With a wry smile old grey haired Jock did say to me
It is not who governs us our freedom define
The ideas of many of freedom are quite different to mine

He added my ideas to most Nationalists and Loyalists would seem rather strange
If you are poor and the new government does not bring about  for the better to your life financial change
Then whatever government rules the Country it will not matter to you
The grey haired Scottish grandfather to the real facts of life does remain ever true

Last year his wife of fifty years Annie from life passed away
With sadness in his voice Scottish Jock says this was his life's saddest day
And who will win the referendum for Scottish Independence he does not know or even care
He is a realist in the true sense and his type are quite rare.

For The Great Gift Of Love

Of love i am always quite happy to sing
For the great gift of love is such a marvelous thing
And those who can love are quite lucky indeed
For love in our lives everyone of us is in need
If everyone had the gift of love there would not be wars to fight
And every human mind in the World would be flooded with light
Of love in it's many forms we hear of and read
And to happiness it always does seem for to lead
Those who cannot love are lacking in compassion and empathy
For them one can only feel some sympathy
From the seed of love happiness it does grow
And those who do have it have the inner glow
And of love i am always quite happy to sing
For the great gift of love is such a marvelous thing.

Ian Paisley

In his eighty eight year the Northern Ireland Unionist leader has passed away
He was one never short of words for to say
His followers looked up to him as a true great
But Ian Paisley to everyone was not a good mate

Whilst Ian Paisley in his lifetime never murdered anyone
His mother in him raised an arrogant son
His anti papist rants to many him did not endear
In his loud booming voice he made this obviously clear

The life journey has finally come to an end
Of the man who in his lifetime had made many an enemy and had made many a friend
It was not as a uniting force he became known Worldwide
As a political leader Ian Paisley was one who was known to divide

For all of us from life there is a final release
And Ian Paisley with all of the World he now is at peace
He was not as bad a person as many of his opponents made him out to be
Though he was quite divisive as most would agree.

In Old Cullen Tonight

The pub doors are locked not one person in sight
Cullen the old Village on the hill peaceful in the moonlight
On silent wings in the faint light the barn owl looks white whilst in flight
Where peace reigns supreme in old Cullen tonight

The calling of a fox in a field nearby
A dog it is barking in a back yard to it in reply
On a pleasant night in September of around twelve degrees
The freshening breeze gently soughing in the moonlit trees

A scene such as this a poet or artist to write of and sketch would inspire
But such natural beauty i only can admire
Though such pleasant thoughts in the memory does remain
In moments of nostalgia for to visit again

The weather quite pleasant for the time of year
And only the voices of Nature one does hear
The pub doors are locked not one person in sight
Where peace reigns supreme in old Cullen tonight.

The Pride Of Koroit

With dark blue eyes and shoulder length wavy hair of light brown
A young rose of the Moyne Shire the pride of old Koroit Town
Of average height of slender build free of conceit or guile
The charm and warmth of Koroit is in her lovely smile
But the wanderlust in her young mind for places far away
And in Koroit in the Moyne Shire she is one who will not stay
So nice and young and lovely she has just turned nineteen
The World out there beckoning to her and so much for her to be seen
She plans to go to Europe and the U S of A
Youth it does always have it's fling as the wise one does say
One amongst many others who makes Koroit such a welcoming place
She always has a lovely smile on her beautiful young face
The charming young beauty of Koroit is on the right side of time
At least five years or even more short of her physical prime.

Tower Hill

It's links to Aboriginal culture and a place to see wildlife two of it's claims to renown
Tower Hill the volcanic valley two kilometers from Koroit Town
Home to emu, koala, echidna, black wallaby and gray kangaroo
Long billed corella, magpie, little raven and yellow tailed black cockatoo
And often above Tower Hill on a dry, clear and windless day
A pair of Australia's largest birds of prey
A male and female wedge tailed eagles circling in the sky
They scan the ground for prey as they do fly
On Tower Hill lake on all Seasons and all year round
Large numbers and many species of water birds abound
Grey teal and chestnut teal and black duck in plentiful supply
Mountain duck, stilts, spoonbill and i have seen magpie geese there in July
And black swan, coot, grebe, pelican and moorhen
In Tower Hill in flocks of thirty down to nine or ten.

At The Stroke Of Midnight

At the stroke of midnight the past will be today
And time on our lives ever ticking away
We can only live in the now as some do like to say
And each day sees us older since young we cannot stay
We only have memories of the what used to be
And the past only lives on in the memory
But to live in the now is the best i can do
Though what is for me it may not be for you
How it feels to be truly happy i would love to kinow
And so lucky the few who have the inner glow
Life for us has lessons and more than a few
And every day we live we learn something new
On our lives the seconds are ticking away
And at the stroke of midnight the past will be today.

Neily Dennehy

Neily Dennehy in his prime years was athletic, dashing and tall
He won a  Cork County Championship medal with Millstreet playing senior Gaelic Football
Back in the late nineteen forties many decades ago
Long before time that rusts iron did become his foe

Devoted to his family and to Nora his deceased wife
Neily Dennehy was a good man who led a good life
He always did have a big smile on his face
Millstreet for him in it was a much better place

One who in his lifetime had seen many a dawn
And many a sunset above Lackabawn
Where in the flesh he is never to be seen again
But all who knew him good memories of him will retain

For Millstreet so many great games he did play
But when i was a boy he was past his prime day
In Gaelic Football a hero in Duhallow in the days of old
He helped to bring honor to Millstreet's green and gold.

Dan Murphy

Dan Murphy left Claramore where his life's journey began
To live and work in New York when he was a young man
When he returned to Ireland he married Eileen Reen of Millstreet Town the love of his life
The mother of his children and his devoted wife

In Ovens in County Cork his last remains in eternal rest lay
Some forty kilometers from where he first saw light of day
The man who had seen sights beyond Claramore
And had experienced life far from Hibernia's Shore

A tall and handsome blond haired fellow when in his life's prime
But eventually we all become victims of time
His family and friends would have farewelled him in tears
In Farnanes where he had lived for many years

There is a last night and day in life for us all
But all who knew him have good memories to recall
Of the down to earth and honest and likeable Dan
May he rest in peace now he was a good man.

Tom Barry

Tom Barry was a rebel and a soldier his fame it has outlived his lifetime span
In Ireland his name lives on as a legend the man who was feared by the Black and Tan
Before the Crown forces feared and loathed in Ireland Tom Barry and his fighting men refused to cower
In the famous ambushes at Crossbarry and Kilmichael though outnumbered they overcame the forces of a World power.

Tom Barry was a hero of war as a teenager in the battle fields of Europe in World War one
He was quite fearless in the gap of danger his mother in him raised a warrior son
A seasoned soldier in Ireland's War of Independence the British had a reward on his head
Him and his rebels had killed many of their soldiers they would feel happy for to see him dead

Tom Barry was born in Killorglin in County Kerry Rosscarbery in County Cork was his dad's Hometown
In west Cork in Ireland's War of Independence Barry and his rebels fought their way to renown
He was one who survived many a battle and died in peacetime at a ripe old age
The warrior in his younger years with time grew mellow in battle he had spent his youthful rage

Tom Barry was a rebel and a soldier one who inspired the writers of story and song
The ambushes at Kilmichael and Crossbarry to the history of Ireland now belong
As a young man he fought in bloody battles where many of his brave young comrades died
But he lived on to become a National hero to survive he did have luck on his side.

Our Difference In Thinking

Our difference in thinking makes us more interesting is how it seems to be
What is beautiful and great to you may not be so to me
Variety is the spice of life as the wise one does say
This is how it is and always has been and will always be this way
You may be financially successful and drive a big new car
But this does not tell us anything of the person that you are
The people who can laugh at life and not take themselves seriously
Are successful in their own way with this would you agree?
That money cannot buy you happiness does ever seem so true
Happiness is a gift of life and is not every person's due
The unhappy financial billionaire is quite poor in another way
One has to feel for the wealthy one who feels sad every day
What is beautiful and great to you to me may not be so
This is something that i learned in life many Seasons ago.

Pat Broderick

From Clara View in Millstreet where he and his deceased wife Breda raised their children and had lived for many a day
Pat Broderick died in the Sheelin Nursing Home in County Cavan from Clara Road far away
At least a ten hour journey north of Duhallow by motor car
To most people in distance this does seem quite far

An honest man quiet and gentle in his way
In his working life Pat worked hard for his every pay
So sad to learn that the life journey has come to an end
Of such a good person who to many was a good friend

The curtain on his life has been drawn down
But he will be remembered and missed by all who knew him in Millstreet Town
For he was a kind and good and an honest man
One of years of life who did have a long span

In Woodford in County Galway his old homeplace
Where to many his was a known and a loved face
The last remains of Pat Broderick does forever lay
He lived as a good person of him one can say.

To Write Rhyme

To write rhyme in writing one does not need much skill
Like rill in rhyme always goes well with hill
Four decades back back my first rhymes i wrote down
In notebook when i lived near Millstreet Town

Back then i hoped for to become a poet
One to be seen as worthy of literary note
But i have come to realize the fact and fact does never lie
That i will be a rhymer till the day i do die

And though the wear of time is physically showing on me
I retain the memories of the what used to be
Where i grew to love Nature when i was a boy
And learning of her ways today i do enjoy

And in life we learn something new every day
We never stop learning as the wise one does say
And as is said we receive from life what is our due
Though i cannot say if this be entirely true

Though wealth and fame to you it may not bring
To write rhyme it is such an easy to do thing
And i should know as i write them every day
With rhyming words i am one who does like to play.

What Does This Of Us Say

All politicians are not known to tell lies
Though many of them the truth do disguise
In the ambiguous words games they do like to play
And of them none are saints in fairness one can say
Pre election some politicians promises to the voters do make
But when elected to parliament their word they do break
For not honoring their word some of them are well known
One might say in deception that they have ways of their own
Their worst behavior for parliamentary sittings many of them do save
Like naughty school children some of them do behave
Trading insults with their political opponents in their verbal war
Under parliamentary privilege they do take bad behavior too far
Since they are the people we elected to govern us on election day
As people of us what does this of us say?

In An Honorable Way

My only words of advice to you one of the aspirational people of the town
Is on your climb to financial success never drag anyone down
Try to make sure that somebody's financial loss does not become your financial gain
If success at others expense is okay with you then the superior person to you as unsuccessful does remain
You do make it known to your mates at the pub
That you aspire to be one day a member of the billionaire's club
But people who think in this way are not amongst the rare
As nearly everyone would like to be a billionaire
Though it is something nowadays that does go on all of the time
Stealing money by deception from another person is as serious a crime
As stealing from his or her wallet and in truth one can say
If the law does not catch up with you Karma will one day
To aspire to be wealthy and famous does seem quite okay
But make sure you do go about it in an honorable way.

The Shearer From Port Fairy

He is from the place where the Moyne waters flow
The home of the black wallaby and the pale eyed crow
From the countryside of Port Fairy on the Pacific shore
He is sweating for his livelihood  from the Moyne Shire five hundred kilometers or more
In the shearing sheds of  central  New South Wales the shearer supreme
Far north of Port Fairy one held in high esteem
Amongst those who know of shearers and shearing he is one who is known
In the views of many as a shearer in a class of his own
The shearer who has inspired the writers of story and rhyme
To write of him is on the right side of time
He does not have children or he does not have a wife
But at twenty five years in his physical prime he is enjoying life
As he is one never short of female company
The shearer from Port Fairy by the Pacific sea.

We Live In A Democracy

We live in a democracy but is it not strange
That the political party last year elected by the majority of the voters you now wish to change
And for your next opportunity for to change them you must wait for two more years
And even the very thought of this does have you close to tears

The governing parties in the ruling of the Country have the big say
Since the majority of the voters voted for their candidates on election day
Government for the majority does work in this way
Years of disappointment the price the losing parties and their supporters do pay

The new government leader on election night thanks the people and lauds his party for a job well done
And promises that his government will legislate for everyone
Words the voters of the losing parties do not wish to hear
Since their disappointment is obviously clear

In politics as in life the winners take all
Of the plaudits and the names of the losers none wish to recall
And though we live in a democracy is it not strange
That you and many others would feel so happy if only the last election results you could change.

To Live As A Great Person

To live as a great person her claim to renown
The kindest and most compassionate person in the town
For future good Karma she plants the good seed
Always helping the people of helping in need
She has never had children or was never any man's wife
To the helping of the poor she devotes her life
In her early sixties her shoulder length hair silver gray
For to help those doing it tough she goes out of her way
Always with a beautiful smile on her beautiful face
One can say of her she is aging with grace
True to her calling in life she does remain
For herself she never does seek any personal gain
To live as a great person her claim to renown
The kindest and most compassionate person in the town.

I Am One Who

I am one who has my moments of self doubt
When i ask myself of what life is about
We live breathe and work and eventually die
Immortality for the human soul to me is a lie
I wish i could believe in a paradise in the sky
Where the souls of  good people post bodily death with wings to does fly
And since i do not believe in a god for to kneel to and pray
One might say in life that i have lost my way
And since anyone i have known who have died have not come back to me for to tell
Of the existence of an afterlife heaven or hell
And though the one known as the cynic is living in me
I envy those who believe in what they never do see
I have not been in a house of religious worship for years
Though for my lack of faith i don't shed any tears.

My Thoughts Often Go

My thoughts often go to that far away place
Where to many mine used to be a well known face
But where to many i would be a stranger today
Since from there i have been many Seasons away
Where i grew to love Nature when i was a boy
And to me learning of her ways remains as a source of joy
I came to recognize some birds by their chirps or song
Though on bird recognition i have often been wrong
But the memories of what was with me does remain
And in my visualizations my friends of the past i do meet again
I see them as they were they have not aged a day
In my mental images of them as young they do stay
Years ago i left the old fields but the fields followed me
And i retain the memories of the what used to be.

It Is Lack Of Self Confidence

When you feel despondent when life on you gets tough
It is lack of self confidence telling you that you are not good enough
To be looked upon as a success on your street
The challenges in life you seem unable to meet
Lack of self confidence you would be far better off without
Since in your mind it only creates self doubt
Of confidence in self one is ever in need
And without it in life one cannot hope to succeed
Yes lack of self confidence can be such a self destructive thing
Low self esteem to you it only does bring
Lack of confidence in self can become your greatest foe
This only does happen for to be so
Your lack of confidence in self only helps to drag you down
And because of it you never will become the success of the town.

You May Be

You may be quite brilliant at what best you do
But there is always one as good if not better than you
The humble one with a sense of his or her importance never gets carried away
Though such people seem rare in the World of today
The down to earth sports person in victory always respectful to the one they have beat
And always humble and gracious in defeat
The one who never trash talks or verbally put others down
Is a credit to his or her side of the town
That arrogant people are not uncommon does seem sad to say
On the street or the park i meet them every day
Their kind always does seem to have less friends than foes
There are all sorts of people one has to suppose.

It Is Easy To Write Rhymes

It is easy to write rhymes as most would agree
No not at all hard you can have this from me
And in a World where rhymers are many and poets are few
You may say to this do tell us what is new
The great poets of rhyme in their graves do lay
One can say of them with words they had a way
Most of the literary critics dismiss writers of rhyme
As out of date and belonging to another time
But rhyme was a thing i loved as a schoolboy
And reading it today is a thing i do thoroughly enjoy
And though modern poetry nowadays seems the in thing
Of the praises of rhyme i am always happy to sing
Anybody can write rhyme is how it seems to be
But well written rhyme is enjoyable  to read would you not agree?

Millstreet's New Sporting Hero

In Millstreet in Duhallow Inter-County hurlers to say the least rare
In the history of their Club thus far only one hurling player
The red senior jersey of Cork does wear
With young Mark Ellis in Millstreet they have no other good hurler to for to compare

Five from Duhallow in the Cork Senior panel including William Egan of Kilbrin
A reason for the Barony's G A A fans to celebrate every Cork win
Twenty fourteen for Duhallow hurling a great year indeed
And as is said of success more success it does breed

In nearby Kanturk their fans can boast of three
Senior hurlers in Anthony Nash, Lorcan McLouglin and Aidan Walsh who have helped Cork to a Munster final victory
Whilst for Millstreet Mark Ellis did carry the flag
For their loyal fans one can say this is worth a brag

Millstreet a Club that is famous for Gaelic Football
Their players in all grades that have worn the Cork Jersey too many here to recall
Their latest young Cork player Kevin Crowley an under twenty one football star
It is said in Gaelic Football he is one to go far

Which makes Mark Ellis unique as a sportsman in Millstreet
The young Cork center half back against Ireland's best hurlers with success does compete
In sports he has surely carved his own renown
As a legendary sporting figure of old Millstreet Town

The young and handsome Cork Hurler dark haired Mark Ellis athletic and tall
To fans of hurling in Ireland is one known to all
Millstreet's new sporting hero of him one can say
And a worthy recipient of every loud hip hooray.

Our Link To The Past

I was raised on old stories of brave rebel men
Of the heroes of ambushes at Headford, Kilmichael and Tureengarriffe Glen
But the old story tellers and the rebels long deceased and that was long ago
And since then time that rusts iron has become my foe
Yet the memories of childhood are with me today
They followed me here from a place far away
And it looks like with me they are destined to stay
Till the Reaper of lives on my life has the say
The children i went to school with like me aging women and men
And in my first home place many changes have happened since then
And i only have memories of the what used to be
And of people some now deceased and some i may never more see
But the stories of the old story tellers do live on in me
Thanks to our link to the past the gift of memory.

That We All Share One Thing In Common

That we all share one thing in common is not a lie
And this is we are born for to eventually die
There is a last night and day for us all
Like every other life form from the great to the small
On all lives the dreaded Grim Reaper has the final say
From death there is nowhere for to hide away
The Reaper can claim your life at any time
He takes the very young and the old and those in their life's prime
Yet despite the realization that life's journey does end in most people there is the need
In the eyes of others to be seen to succeed
And you can call it a lust for life or call it what you may
But for this thing known as success people compete every day
Whilst an appointment with Life's Reaper is a thing in common everybody does share
Including the monarch, the pauper and the billionaire.

So Many Financially Down

So many financially down on their luck and struggling for to cope
But like it is said where there is life there is hope
And hope springs eternal it does seem this way
Tomorrow will dawn as another new day
But it is hard to feel positive when you are doing it tough
When your pay at the weekend is never enough
For to cover your financial expenses and like is said make ends meet
Yet many worse off than you homeless on the street
If only of financial hardship you ever do know
The positive seed in your mind cannot grow
So many like you children of the lesser gods
Who seem to have been born to life for to battle the odds
So many doing it tough and financially down
And like you struggling for to financially cope on the poor side of the town.

Scammers

They rip off people of their life savings and leave them without a penny to their name
These people who do not have a sense of shame
At the expense of hard working, honest and trusting people they enjoy a good time
If the Law does not catch up with them to Karma they will pay for their every crime
All scammers are ruthless and narcissistic in their ways indeed
Without a sense of guilt or shame they are obsessed with greed
They are bereft of feelings of them one can say
On the finances of good and trusting people they do ruthlessly prey
They have left may people in a financial hell
Because of them and their bogus schemes their home they have had to sell
To the victims of their scams mercy they do not show
But there is truth in the saying that we do reap what we sow
And if the Law does not catch up with them to Karma they will pay
For what goes around comes around life works in this way.

On Millstreet's Duhallow Championship Win

For the Millstreet Gaelic Football fans for a Duhallow A Championship an eleven years wait
But with the famed green and gold they did keep faith
And in the twenty fourteen Duhallow Final against Knocknagree in Banteer
The loyal Millstreet fans had good reason to cheer

On the back of a truck the players were led by the Millstreet Pipe Band through Millstreet Town
In the twenty fourteen Duhallow Championship their determined young team did not leave the fans down
Against the best teams in Duhallow with success they did compete
And it was party time in the Town of Millstreet

A sporting win excitement never does fail to create
And in Millstreet they do know how to celebrate
And doubtless many in Millstreet were hung over next day
For big celebrations always some price for to pay

But things would have been different in Knocknagree
A Duhallow Championship for their team and fans in twenty fourteen was not meant to be
One person's joy can be another person's sorrow as the wise one does say
But life is like this and will always be this way

Years ago Millstreet was one of the best clubs in Cork Senior Gaelic Football
As many of their aging fans with sadness do recall
Yet a Duhallow A Championship win to the spirits a raise
And brings back the memories of Millstreet's glory days.

It Is Said

It is said a man is old when he stops looking and a woman is as old as she does look
And you cannot judge the book by the cover though the cover can help for to self the book
I am only quoting often quoted sayings though many often quoted sayings are quite true
And about your hard life no point in complaining since life does not owe anything to you
Not everybody can become a winner for one to win another has to lose
Yet most would like to be wealthy and famous to live in poverty none ever choose
But at life's journey's end it will not matter the Reaper of lives does treat as the same
The financially down and the homeless poor pauper and the wealthy one of the celebrated name
But what matter though you live as a good person and to help one in need of helping you go out of your way
The people who sow the seeds of good Karma will reap the fruits of what they sow one day
And everything in some ways can be relative there is relative wealth and relative poverty
Yet the poorest person in the poorest suburb spiritually may be superior to me
It is said a man is old when he stops looking and a woman is as old as she does look
And you cannot judge the book by the cover though the cover it can help to sell the book.

From The Fields Of

From the fields of the rook and the silver back crow
Where the green and rank rushes in clusters do grow
I went to see life in the big World out there
To the vast and far southern Continent where

The pee wee does sing at the dawn of the day
From the place of my younger years in miles far away
The land of wallaby, emu, koala, wombat and roo
And kookaburra, lyrebird, rosella, lorikeet and cockatoo

Where in the town parks the warble of the singing magpies one often does hear
The birds who do sing every day of the year
And every day in Nature's wild garden there is so much to see
In the home of the eucalypt and the wattle and the pittosporum tree

The lust of the wander is an amazing thing
Of it the writers do write and the singers do sing
Those with it in their first home-place never do stay
They move to big towns and cities from there far away

It has been awhile since i have seen the bluebells blooming in Spring on the ditch of bohreen
Though in my memory the fields of my young years remain evergreen
And though in places far south of my first home-place i have been
So little of the big World out there i can claim to have seen.