Too Few Seem To Care

So little about them i can claim of to know
But my wonderment of them it only does grow
And that many species of birds are becoming quite rare
A sad thing indeed to become of aware
Due to the destruction of their habitat by us humans as well as Climate Change
Many species decreasing in numbers in their territories and range
Our Earth Mother by us humans is treated so bad
A World without birds even the thought of it is sad
The numbers of many species of wildlife are dwindling so fast
The polar bears of the Arctic will soon be of the past
The World is for us humans to live in and with others creatures to share
But for the rights of the wild and the free far too few seem to care
Most species of wildlife are becoming rare Worldwide
And to us humans this cannot be a source for pride.

In Time

In time few things ever does seem to last
And in memory we are only linked to the past
We can only live in the now and the now is today
And time on our lives ever ticking away
The fact of the matter and fact never lie
Is the longer you live the sooner you will die
On how long we live we do not have a say
Many who thought they were unexpendable in cemeteries lay
The good memories of what was in us does remain
As the only link to the past that we retain
No matter what you achieve in life you ought not to forget
That for you too there will be a final sunset
Your life span will long outlive this simple rhyme
But eventually you  too will fall victim of time.

On The Passing Of Eileen Cotter

Where old Clara Mountain as ever looks down
A dear friend to many people in Millstreet and Millstreet Town
Eileen Cotter from life has prematurely passed away
So sad to learn she has lived her last night and day

One of a large family a daughter to Jimmy and Mary her praises deserve to be sung
In her case it is true the good do die young
To many in Millstreet a dear and trusting friend
And sadly her life's journey for her has come to an end

In Millstreet one who had gained many friends through the years
And her passing from life would not have gone without tears
In her she had love, compassion and empathy
All who knew or knew of her with this could only agree

For good in the Human World one who did sow the seed
And of many more people like Eileen was of humanity is in need
The Human World in need of more people who for others do care
Far too many of their own needs are only aware

Eileen Cotter was one not destined to grow old
But the story of her life deserves for to be told
In her lifetime for the betterment of humanity good seeds she did sow
She was one who had in her the bright inner glow.

The One Admired By Many

The one admired by many does not appeal to me

The greatness that they see in him i somehow cannot see

He has made his billions in the mines where his workers mine for coal

For money one of many who choose to sell his soul

Those who applaud him for creating employment for his workers have surely got it wrong

In a few years the mines run out of coal their jobs do not last long

Mother Earth has lost some of her beauty his former workers on the dole

Whilst he enjoys the billions that he has made from mining coal

Though i cannot admire him  many others do

Those who admire him remind me he is a better man than you

True enough he did create employment and in truth i too can say

That i too am not a friend of Mother Earth who is short of friends today

Though many do admire him of him i am not a fan

I only look upon him as another greedy wealthy man.

Some Way To Go

People have walked on the surface of the moon
And Mars it is said due for a visit soon
But people on Planet Earth have not learned to live in harmony
And many are born to live in poverty
Despite human successes to humanity there is a darker side
Harmony between different races is not Worldwide
Between people there remains a religious, a cultural and a racial divide
That in some of our thinking we lack in tolerance and understanding cannot be denied
That us humans have made giant steps on most things only true to say
But due to war many people are dispossessed  in the World of today
And for our greed for our Earth Mother's treasures we bring about Climate Change
That we choose to abuse the one who feeds us does seem rather strange
Despite our many successes we are our own greatest foe
In the love of our Earth Mother and each other we still have some way to go.

Julia Of Toorbonia

Julia of Toorbonia her praises by many sung
World War One was being fought when she was very young
She was in the prime of her life at the start of World War two
Her son Donal in his seventies is one who is ageing too

At one hundred and six years Julia Murphy her better days long gone
But she is one who loves life and she is living on
She has lived through economic depressions and many war years
And all of those she went to school with have long been farewelled in tears

Julia of Toorbonia an easy life did not enjoy
I remember seeing her drawing buckets of water to her home when i was a boy
On the mountain road west of Millstreet Town more than six decades ago
And time that ages everyone has long since become my foe

Quite tall and in her forties then and striking to behold
Julia of Toorbonia refuses to grow old
A kind and caring person and always a joy to meet
Nowadays a living legend in the old Town of Millstreet

Of her amazing life's journey she has many stories to tell
Julia of Toorbonia she has aged rather well
One hundred and six years of living in truth of her one can say
There are not many of her age living in the World today.

Of True Love Of Self

Those with true love of self in them of the needs of others aware
And on those in need of helping they find time for to spare
For to try to help them on their time of need
Those with love are kind and great people indeed

Those with love in them help others every day
Some of  them working in refugee camps far away
For the love of humanity without the rewards of pay
That love does work wonders in truth one can say

Narcissism to any form of love does not belong
One can say of  it that it is self love gone wrong
Narcissism on the mind does take it's toll
And releases the ego from any thought control

Of true love of self the praises one should sing
Since those who possess it joy to to others does bring
They are known to perform good deeds every day
Without expecting the rewards of money for pay.

Ageism

Ageism is not new to humanity
It has existed long before the birth of the twenty first century
All of those that are ageist does seem far from wise
Since that they too will grow old they do not seem to realize

That there are many ageist people in the human World is a fact hard to disguise
But a loss to humanity in every good living aged person who dies
Since they have gone through life without harming anyone
And on their journeys some good things for others have done

Perhaps one reason that many ageing people with dye cloak the grey in their hair
Is that of  the unjust criticism of the ageist they are aware
The unfair judgments of the judgmental on the feelings of some people take toll
On their negative opinions on others they assert mental control

You may not be perfect but neither am i
And if some illness does not kill us of old age we will die
The words of a wise one worthy of recall
That a fair go for some is not a fair go for all.

Though Many With This

Wise words of a wise one that remains ever true
The beauty you see in others is the beauty in you
As you can only see in others what in yourself you do see
And if you admire kind people then kind too you must be
A truly spiritual person to wealth and fame never to aspire
We see our own likeness in those we admire
If you can only look up to the wealthy and famous of you this does say
That they are what you wish for to be one day
One can only quote from the mouth of the wise
That our words say more of us than we do realize
You will not see them helping the poor of the town
Those who often daydream of wealth and renown
Only in the like minded ourselves we do see
Though many with this would choose to disagree.

Conceited And Choosy

Though this is going back a few decades in time
She was an attractive looking woman in her life's prime
She is quite conceited in truth one of her can say
Perhaps the reason that she remains single today
One without any children she was never anyone's partner or wife
One can say she has known of better days in her life
She uses blond dye to cloak the grey in her hair that was brown
When she was the most attractive on her side of the town
She was quite a choosy young woman back then
And was not impressed with the choice of the local unmarried or unpartnered young men
Though she has lost some of her looks she remains choosy and conceited today
So perhaps until she dies as single she will stay
In her prime years she was attractive to behold
But she has lost some of her beauty and she is growing old.

Grey Shrike Thrushes

Slightly brown on the back but overall mostly grey
In woodlands of old growth trees they mosly prefer to stay
Their whistling song to hear is quite a beautiful thing
And joy to the listener never fails to bring

Most of them of humans do not seem that shy
When you approach one it flies to a low branch nearby
The female lay white eggs with brown spots of four, two or three
In cup shaped nest of bark in hollow log or on leafy low branch of tree

They mostly live on small life forms they find on the ground
Never see them in flocks or in large numbers they never abound
Out of their breeding Season they mostly live on their own
Though as a species of shrike thrush to many well known

Once seen and once heard them you never again could get wrong
Though quite plain to look at they have a beautiful song
Which perhaps in Nature is their only claim to fame
Grey shrike thrushes for them is an often used name.

John Manley And Esther Cashman

Quite wonderful people as Sean Radley says so
They went off to live in England many years ago
They did not have to travel that far each other for to meet
Their love it did blossom in their Hometown of Millstreet

Far from the Town in view of high Claramore
Their future was to be on Ireland's sister shore
John Manley and Esther Cashman their family in England did raise
Where perhaps they often reminisced on their younger days

In Tullig on the high ground and in Millstreet Town
Where on ancient Clara Mountain as ever looks down
And of the friends they grew up with in their younger years
Old memories does outlive the nostalgic tears

In Duhallow two good people who did not choose to stay
In England they settled from Millstreet far away
Their adventurous spirits took them to live elsewhere
To England's biggest City in the big World out there

Two migrants from Millstreet who lived as man and wife
John Manley and Esther Cashman their love lasted for life
They died far from where their journey in life for them began
Tullig and Millstreet Town where they grew into a young woman and a young man

We are born as mortals why otherwise pretend
And our journeys in life for us all have to end
John Manley and Esther Cashman in Muswell grew old
But their lives stories surely deserve to be told.

The Tribal

The tribal never bring change in any town
Though they catapult those they admire to fame and renown
Elite sports people and wealthy celebrities they only admire
And of singing the praises of their heroines and heroes never seem to tire
Yet to the Human World in their thinking, interests and opinions they never bring change
And anyone who has interests different to what their's is they look on as strange
The praises of the wealthy and famous they only does sing
But any changes to their towns and communities they never does bring
Sameness is comprised of those in ways much the same
And thanks to  the admiring majority a few know of great wealth and fame
And the gap between those who have and have not widening by the day
The World needs more of the non tribal it does seem this way
The tribal of the Human World are not of the few
But this is not saying anything in any way that is new.

In Coolikerane Bog

Old memories of Nature never fade away
In Coolikerane Bog on evenings in May
The song of the curlew so flute like and clear
In the still of the evening so pleasant to hear

And as the cloak of darkness creeps across the sky
The male snipe above the darkening bogland fly
And with wings and tail makes a bleating or drumming like sound
As above his territory he flies around and around

Nature's wonders are many and her lessons are not few
And of her every day we do learn something new
But the more we learn of her the more we come to realize
That of her we know little this not a surprise

The sweet scent of the bog cotton after Spring rain
A memory of what was a lifetime to retain
A fact of our existence and fact never lie
Is that we will learn as we live until the day we will die

In Coolikeraane Bog in the fading light of day
A young boy hears a curlew on an evening in May
A memory in him that is bound to last
When in future years he thinks back on the past.

Some Tell Me

Some tell me since for doing it you never receive any pay
Perhaps it is time that you gave writing of rhyme away
But rhyming in me fills some sort of a need
The reason their advice i never does heed
I have been writing rhymes since my physical prime
And this is going back near four decades in time
Though not one of those to the literary fore
It is something i love doing and little else more
Not one who is worthy of any literary note
And i leave it to others the title of poet
A migrant growing old far south of my Homeland
This is part of my life's destiny not something i planned
But as for rhyming i never will give it away
And i hope to be doing it on my life's final day.

In Mushera Today

It is Springlike weather in truth one can say
Though the sun in the rain clouds is hidden away
The songs of the nesting birds pleasant to hear
The minstrels of Nature of the Spring of the year
Swollen from yesterdays rain the mountain rill
Babbles to Aubane River from Mushera Hill
The Seasons have come and the Seasons have gone
But as ever the waterways keep babbling on
The contented cattle chewing their cuds do lay
Young grass taste far better to them than silage or hay
The dark swallows to breed home for awhile to stay
Chirp whilst in pursuit of their flying insect prey
And though the sun it is hidden behind clouds of grey
The birds they are singing in Mushera today.

Those Into Self Interest

Those into self interest in a big way from their higher selves furthest away
An oral truism passed down from the sages that remains relevant today
It is true that we all have ego we need some of it in the World to survive
But some egos become narcissistic and in the self obsessed mind does thrive
Even the down to earth have ego as psychologists Worldwide agree
The egoism i see in others happens to be dormant in me
The perfect person not yet born near perfection so hard to achieve
That even in the best of people some room for self improvement seems easy enough to believe
Those who do look up to flawed leaders in their thinking are not very bright
That some of the best of people remain as unsung the masses of seem to lose sight
Those into promotion of self in a big way to say the least are no longer rare
That their egos narcissism is controlling they seem to live quite unaware
Long before the deaths of their bodies the souls in the narcissists have died
And sad to think the self obsessed are not endangered there are many of them Worldwide.

Then Poor You Must Be

Count yourself lucky to have a home to live in
Compared to many you were born to win
Without any shelter under the starlight
Millions are trying to sleep hungry tonight
You have never been homeless or known of hunger pain
Yet of your hard life you like to complain
Compared to many you do not know of it tough
You are one who has been lucky enough
For yourself in life you do quite okay
But you are not one who does see it this way
You are not one of the financially down
And you never have lived on the poor side of the town
Yet in your mind you never live in dire poverty
And if you think you are poor then poor you must be.

Millstreet's Greatest Greyhound Racing Success Story

As a ten year year old boy long before my physical prime
And this is going back more than six decades in time
In nineteen fifty seven Tanyard Champion was voted Ireland's track racing greyhound of the year
That this remains as Millstreet's greatest greyhound racing success story is obviously clear

Owned bred and trained by Pat Cashman of Tullig the champion fawn greyhound
His equal in Ireland then not to be found
The son of Champion Prince and  Knockeevan Tulip seldom knew of defeat
In greyhound racing in Ireland then the one to beat

Of Tanyard Champion's achievements Duhallow people felt proud
And the praises of Pat Cashman by many sung loud
But the school children back then are the aged of today
And time on our lives ever ticking away

Time it did become Tanyard Champion's foe
And Pat Cashman passed from life many years ago
But great moments in time in the memory remain
When we go to the past to remember again

Ireland's greatest track greyhound when in his prime day
And memories of such achievements a lifetime does stay
In nineteen fifty seven Pat Cashman's fawn speedster proved himself to be Ireland's best
And was never found to be wanting when put to the test.

Maria From Rome

Though life's toughest challenges she is one who did face
She is seldom without a big smile on her face
Her husband Guiseppe died ten years ago
And time that ages has become her foe
Their only offspring Bruno his best days in life had not seen
When he died in a work accident at the age of nineteen
To die at such a young age he was an unlucky one
She and Guiseppe grieved for their dead son
In their mid twenties they arrived in Australia in their physical prime
As migrants from Italy this is going back in time
Since Guiseppe died she lives on her own
Of the good and the bad days of life they had known
Seldom without a smile on her face far from her first home
The octogenarian Maria from Rome.

As Happiness Goes

Many people do yearn for wealth and for fame
And be looked up to and admired as one of a great name
But many of the wealthy and famous are far from carefree
As happiness goes they are in poverty
Though their praises the admiring masses do sing
In life they too do not have everything
And since happiness it cannot be bought or sold
As unhappy people they are destined to grow old
Some of the poor people on the poor side of the town
Do not live as unhappy though financially down
Though life is tough on them they never complain
The workings of the human mind beyond most to explain
And though money is quite important when all is said and done
It does not bring happiness to everyone.

For Our Abuse Of Mother Earth

The trees of Nambucca Forest for industrial purposes cut down and trucked away
But for our abuse of Mother Earth always some price to pay
Such practices adds to Global Warming that to climate Change gives rise
Us humans who in our greed  for wealth strip Mother Earth of her beauty are not being very wise
Old growth trees that had served Nature's creatures well to the loggers chain saws fall
For building pollution creating factories makes little sense at all
For to create jobs for people there must be another way
Than felling old growth forest trees for people to work for pay
Every day more trees are being felled  and more of Nature's creatures being pushed to extinction brink
On our treatment of Mother Earth who feeds us all to a new low we does sink
In a Human World where for the greedy wealthy minority
Billions of people Worldwide live in extreme poverty
Every day they must grow poorer for the few wealthy to gain
That they do not share in the profits of Mother Earth's stolen beauty seems beyond one to explain.

A Male By Decree

Who is to say that god is not a she
For her beauty in Nature every day i does see
Everywhere i turn to look it is all around me
And for to view it is always monetary free
With my ideas on god many would not agree
Most of us become tied to our beliefs is how it seems to be
The god of most religions is always referred to as a he
The one who is glorified for his invisibility
She is one who is always quite visible to the human eye
The Goddess of Nature the one i glorify
She is always quite visible i see her every day
Her beauty for to describe i do not have the words for to say
The god of theology is a male by decree
And most religious people with this does agree.

For To Live In

If you want to make a better Human World for to live in
With improvement for the better in  yourself you have got to begin
Since there is room for improvement of self in us all
And any improvement of self is never too small
Those who live for self only from their higher selves are furthest away
This does remain as a truism in truth one can say
It is not what you do for yourself but what for others you do
That of your worth as a person says more about you
The greedy and self centered are not a rare breed
And of any more of their sort humanity is not in need
Of making a better Human World to live in you too can become a part
Though not famous they are such good people those who are kind of  heart
It is not how much money you have or how many admirers you win
Will help to make the Human World for all better to live in.

On Julia Gillard

A former and only female Prime Minister of Australia and an amazing woman indeed
And of more people like she is the Human World is in need
Her speech on misogny in Parliament House in Canberra from history will not be allowed for to fade
On the then opposition leader Tony Abbott was an outstanding piece of political tirade

On the greatest speech on misogny in any parliament by any politician that has ever been made
The brilliance in her mind on her famous verbal defense of womankind in public she displayed
On a speech that online went viral Worldwide
That was rendered in calmness but with a sense of wounded pride

In Parliament of Julia mostly by her male opponents bad things were said
But when it came to wit and sarcasm of them she was always one step ahead
She was always at her best in replies to remarks that caused her offense
And she knew how to put her opponents back on the defense

Julia Gillard born in Barry in Wales is an ex Australian politician who has achieved Worldwide fame
Without her question time in Parliament in Canberra is not the same
As a spokesperson for worthy causes she is a leader today
One can say of her with words she does have a way.

At Moyjil

Overlooking where the Hopkins River into the Pacific does flow
Of the history of Moyjil would anyone know
At the bluehole Australia's first people fished centuries ago
But that time with it brings changes happens to be so
Moyjil near Warrnambool is a sacred place
To the Gundijtmara people the south west's first race
Even time to Moyjil change new people did bring
Though change is not always that good a thing
Even few indigenous south west people visit Moyjil today
Most links to the past in time slowly fade away
But the white surf waves roll onto the bluehole's brown sandy shore
On a sscene destined to live on forever more
In Moyjil a beautiful place at any time of year
The rolling of the white waves familiar to hear.

Jimbo

Time is catching up on him Jimbo is not the man he used to be
Still he does look strong and healthy for a bloke of eighty three
Many times a great grandfather though estranged from June his wife
Thirty years ago she left him due to his womanizing ways of life
June she has long since remarried Jimbo is growing old on his own
Women no longer desire him better days of he has known
He has fathered children out of wedlock as the story has been told
Grand-parents in their late fifties they are even getting old
In his younger years quite randy he did share himself around
To the duties that comes with marriage he was not one to be bound
No longer a great lover though he still enjoys his beer
And on Saturday evening in the local he enjoys the barroom cheer
He may have lost some of his libido but women he still tries to impress
Though his efforts to seduce them no longer does meet with success.

In Illowa Today

The sun peers at times from behind clouds of grey
And it does seem that rain may not be far away
From Illowa of the Moyne Shire near the Pacific shore
Yesterday it rained heavily for two hours or more
The countryside between Warrnambool and Koroit Town
Is now looking green it was recently brown
After the long dry spell the land welcomes rain
And with the recent downpour you will not hear many complain
In Illowa always great natural beauty to see
A beauty for to view that is always free
In a place that to Earthly Utopia is near
The songs of the pee wees always pleasant to hear
And though the sun seldom shines from behind clouds of grey
The magpies are warbling in Illowa today.

I Am One Of Those

I am one of those addicted to the penning of rhyme
And of them i have written so many over decades of time
I do it for enjoyment not for fame or pay
And i add to my numbers of them every day
Not one who is worthy of the title of poet
Or on any sort of literary note
I am one who loved reading rhymes as a schoolboy
And writing them nowadays is a thing i enjoy
Most of us have our hobbies in life one suppose
And those with many friends are not without foes
And though one may be found to be wanting when put to the test
At least you can console yourself if you did try your best
As a rhymer i too have failed to make the grade
But every writer is needed in the wordsmith trade.

As If It Is Your Last

On looking back on the Seasons time seemed to go fast
Live every day as if it is your last
And as sure as day does follow the night
You will eventually be proven right
So few near to perfect why otherwise pretend
But it is never too late for you to make amends
For your wrongs of the past to anyone you did offend
And in the process for yourself  you may even win a friend
You may well be one to others who has not been nice
But on our behaviour we do have a choice
The teenage bully has turned out okay
And lives as a far nicer person today
Live and let live as the wise one does say
It is never too late for you to mend your way.

A Rainy April Day

Though the magpies are warbling on this grey Autumn day
The sun behind grey clouds is hidden away
The rain on the green countryside drizzling down
In the quiet of the evening by the rural town
But few with this sort of weather will complain
As the dry countryside is in need of this rain
The paddocks now green had been brown and dry for a spell
This much needed rain it has served the land well
So many have suffered in bushfires in the recent past
But rain it has brought relief with it at last
The rain drizzling down from a sky overcast
But in this Southern Land the weather known to change fast
The recent bushfires brought with them death and grief
But the rain to the land has brought welcome relief.

God Will Not Save The Queen

Her better days in life she is one who has seen
And from life's reaper god will not save the Queen
Everyone born to life eventually die
One fact of our existence and fact never lie
The one who claims all lives does not differentiate
Between the lives of the paupers and those the masses will celebrate
Though your fame your death may well survive
Your money it will not keep you alive
The great equalizer wields the scythe of death
And from everyone eventually claims the living breath
The anthem of Britain is 'God Save The Queen' but in truth one can say
That for her there too will be a last night and day
As well as for the poor death is for every celebrity and billionaire
Life's Reaper the life of anyone does not spare.

Is How It Seems To Be

When COVID-19 to the ways of time has gone
Humanity will exist and life will go on
And most of those who have survived the virus to their old ways will return
Since from the lessons of life so few does ever learn

And things as they were will surely remain
In this Human World where somebody's loss becomes somebody's gain
And by wealthy celebrities many will feel inspired
There will always be admirers and the admired

In wars and famines and viruses in Countries Worldwwide
Millions of people have been known to have died
But from all of this why love and kindness has not blossomed among humanity beyond me to explain
And sadly those who die from COVID-19 too will have died in vain

There will always be the wealthy and those in poverty
And the kind and compassionate as usual in a minority
In a Human World where many their own praises sing
Humility has become an out of date thing

If from COVID-19 love and kindness and compassion had a win
The Human World for all would be better to live in
But we never do learn from past history
And we are what we are is how it seems to be.

On Addictions

Most of us humans are addictive in some sort of a way
And some for their addictions are in prison today
In many Countries the buying and selling of narcotics is a federal crime
And convicted offenders can be sent to prison for quite a long time
Those with a gambling addiction know of a miserable life
And like the alcoholic are walked out on by their family and wife
Most addictions come at a huge monetary cost
And homes and properties to pay off debt by the addictive are lost
Many people on their addiction spend time every day
For hours on their computer online games they do play
And on saying those free of addictions are of the few
Is not saying anything that is in any way that is new
I too have an addiction and this is writing of rhyme
It is something i have been doing for quite a long time.

Young Willie

It was said of young Willie he is destined to fail
That he was one who would end his life in jail
Though raised well by his parents Jenny and Stan
It did not seem that he would develop into a law abiding man

His only sibling his older brother Tim
A law abiding young man quite different to him
Willie in his teen years kept bad company
And he was not a credit to his good family

In his late teens he served six months of prison time
For car stealing not the most serious crime
But where there is a will there is always a way
He is not the wild man he used to be today

The will to reform in Willie was strong
And he was one to prove his doubters wrong
He will never spend time in a prison again
The turn around in his life seems hard to explain

In his late twenties he owns his own business and has a young daughter and wife
He is one who has made a success of his life
For how he has reformed credit to him is due
To the respect of self and others he is one who lives true

As a teenaager he did spend six months in jail
And the judgmental dismissed him as one who would fail
But where there is a will there is always a way
And he lives as a successful young man today.

It Has Been Many Years

It has been many years since i have lived in Millstreet
And walked in the fields to where the waterways meet
Or heard the dipper sing in the Claramore rill
Flowing in the fields of Claraghatlea in view of Clara's Hill
In Duhallow like many before me i was one who did not stay
The lure of the wander from there took me far away
To many in Millstreet i would be a stranger today
That time with it brings changes only true to say
My journey in life has brought me far south
Of the fields of the badger and waterways of the brown trout
To the home of the white long billed corella and grey kangaroo
And koala, echidna and yellow tailed black cockatoo
From the fields in view of Clara north and far away
To the warbling of the Australian magpies i wake every day.

Mary Dempsey

In Drominahilla near Millstreet Town she first saw light of day
 And in New York her mortal remains now do lay
As Mary Hickey she was born into life
And as Mary Dempsey she became a mother and wife

Doubtless she had fond memories of the Town of Millstreet
And the green countryside where the waterways meet
In Ireland one of those who did not choose to stay
Good memories die hard as the wise one did say

As a young woman she left Millstreet for the big World out there
Like many she was destined for to grow old elsewhere
In the nineteen fifties and sixties many young people in Ireland did not remain
But Mary's loss to Millstreet became New York's gain

As Mary Hickey in Drominahilla near Millstreet Town her journey in life began
And in New York as Mary Dempsey she lived out her time span
One can only hope that her passing from life for her was a painless release
In her adopted home may her remains rest in peace.

By The Moyne River

In the grey of the morning a dark pale eyed crow
Is cawing on a gum tree near where the Moyne waters flow
On it's way to Port Fairy Town to the Pacific shore
Where it has flowed to forever and will forever more

Going back in time to the long ago
And many Seasons two centuries or so
In Summer evenings by the river in the shade of the trees
Australia's first people had their corroborees

But that was before people from far away
Came to live in the countryside known as the Moyne Shire today
No corroborees by the Moyne River today
That time with it brings changes only true to say

Though eventually time becomes everyone's foe
And the Seasons do come and the Seasons do go
The Moyne in the coastal lands deep, dark and slow
On towards the Pacific silently flow.

It Says Much About Us

It says much about us in life what we desire
And of what we aspire to and of who we admire
Whether you are ambitious, self centered, materialistic or kind
In your words you tell others of the workings of your mind
In the twenty first century money to most people is seen as most important it does seem
As those with lots of it are famous and held in high public esteem
Not surprising then that most young people yearn for money and fame
And become known to many as one of a great name
Few like Mother Therese who dedicated her life to helping others wish to be known
But then when it comes to humanity suppose it is each to their own
Sadly the caring and compassionate and those with others willing to share
In the Human World are becoming more rare
That to be wealthy and famous many aspire to is not a surprise
Though to narcissism they are known to give rise.

On The Passing Of Matt Twomey

In the shadows of Mushera his life's journey began
And there from a boy he grew into a man
Into his eight decade of him one can say
That about him he did have a likeable way

He married Eansie Kelleher a beautiful woman his partner for life
The mother of his children and to him a devoted wife
As a young man tall and handsome his hair was light brown
Matt Twomey ended his days in Duhallow's Millstreet Town

He spun a good yarn or he told a good joke
As he puffed on his pipe and blew out some smoke
He did not seem the sort on a problem who would brood
He always seemed calm and in a relaxed mood

One who made many friends in his lifetime
A musician and entertainer in his life's prime
Behind the wheel of a car he was one without fear
Of his many hot rod wins some great stories to hear

A business man and entertainer and a sportsman as well
Of his colourful life many stories to tell
In his lifetime one who who did make many a friend
And sadly his journey has come to an end.

Verbal Offense

Verbal offending as a game do not play
Far too much of this stuff it is going on today
Between the uncompassionate in every town
To such a low standard of communication why bring yourself down
Verbally hurting others feelings to some pleasure does bring
Their offensive comments can leave a mental sting
In the minds of the people that they do offend
Spite and ignorance when mixed can be a toxic blend
The wise words of a sage well worthy of recall
If you do not have nice things to say of someone say nothing at all
Those who find pleasure on putting down others suffer low self esteem
And are to be pitied for their flaws it does seem
You ought to be one of far better sense
Than being part of this game known as verbal offense.

The Narcissist And The One With Love Of Self

Those who only live for self in truth one can say
From the higher self are quite far away
There is more to the living of life than for the i
Those who will tell you differently believe their own lie
Those who have love in them their own praises never sing
From narcissism love of  self is a different thing
The narcissist of self is only aware
Whilst those with love of self do willingly share
Of boasting of self the narcissists never tire
And the admiration of others in them a desire
Whilst those with love of self sow Karma's good seed
And are willing to help anyone of their help in need
Between the narcissist and the one of love of self the difference is clear
Since the latter to the higher self is the one who is near.

On Magpies Singing

The Beautiful warbling so pleasant to hear
Of the birds who do sing every day of the year
Of city and town parks and of the countryside
Birds familiar to everyone Australia wide
The black and white Australian magpies or piping shrikes Australia's own
For their beautiful flute like warbling songs widely known
On their breeding Season they even sing at night
How nice to hear them fluting in the moonlight
Like all other birds song with them a territorial thing
It is not out of joy that the magpies do sing
To their neighbours of their own kind their messaage is clear
These are our borders and of them stay clear
Their beautiful warbling carrying in the breeze
Is a warning to their neighbours on the nearby trees.

Eily Buckley

One of Millstreet's wise elders of her one can say
Eily Buckley about her has a cheerful way
In Millstreet she first looked on the lamp of day
And near to where she lives her last remains will lay

An octogenarian one of Millstreet's own
Through the decades of her life her friends in numbers have grown
When she was Eily Corkery long before she became the late Dan Buckley's wife
Eily was one who was learning from life

Eily is open to learning for to give to her what is her due
And that from life we learn as we live happens for to be true
That life knowledge is the greatest book never published is not a lie
And we will learn as we live until the day we will die

Her report on the Millstreet Web Site of Millstreet Town and countryside
By migrants from Millstreet is read Worldwide
To Eily and the other contributors to the website a great debt us migrants does owe
For keeping us up to date with the news from our homeplace of long ago

The changes in Millstreet do keep happening fast
Where Eily Buckley remains as a link to the past
Though she is many Seasons beyond her life's prime
She glows as a beacon that is undimmed by time.

The Pride Of The Moyne Shire

An attractive looking young woman free of conceit and guile
Brown eyes and shoulder length wavy hair and a beautiful smile
The Pride of the Moyne Shire will be twenty in May
From her physical prime in years not that far away
In Kirkstall near Koroit she hopes not to stay
Next year she hopes to travel to the U S of A
At present she does not have a lover in her life
And she feels she is not ready to become anyone's partner or wife
The Pride of the Moyne Shire her sort are so rare
The joy she has in her with others she share
Always with a smile on her beautiful face
Kirkstall for her in it a far better place
Wherever she is at joy is to be found
As she carries it with her and shares it around.

That Death Is For Everyone

That death is for everyone is not a lie
Like all other life forms us humans are born to die
Death is not ageist in any sort of a way
It claims the lives of the young and the old every day
And though life is the greatest gift anyone does possess
Far greater than any other form of success
The longest lived human life in time not a long span
On average a few years more for a woman than it is for a man
But eventually the one who claims the lives of all
Will one day or night pay you a call
To the one who wields the scythe of death all life forms fall
The one who takes the lives of the celebrity and the billionaire to the insect that crawl
Of the praises of the one who claims all lives anyone never sing
Though death to everyone equality does bring.

Ignorance Can Be Bliss

They must be twenty first century genuises indeed
Those who believe that of any more knowledge they are not in need
They are not at all rare in truth i can say
And i do meet a few of their sort every day
They have to be brilliant to know everything
And of their own praises they surely do love to sing
They will try to convince you that a weed is a rose
Humanity does comprise of all sorts one suppose
To meet those who know everything you need not walk far
A few of them frequent the local public bar
Their own opinions only matter or so it does seem
They do not suffer of low self esteem
That in life we never stop learning the point they do miss
But then one must suppose that ignorance can be bliss.

With A Mind Of Your Own

Why worry what others of you have to say
Just do your own thing and live in your own way
And true to your idea of a fair go for all try to stay
And your respects to the rights of everyone do pay
You may not be a member of any social club
Or go for a drink to the local pub
For being different for you to pay there's a price
Of you some do say things that are far from nice
They will never be the instigators of change
And those different to them they do look on as strange
You do live in your own way and do your own thing
And your own or the praises of others never do sing
Apart from the tribes and their ways you have grown
You are a person with a mind of your own.

On C O V I D-19

In Countries Worldwide it has brought death and tears
And it's economic affects will be felt for years
But will C O V I D-19 be this bad for humanity
Since this deadly virus to many has brought the reality
That us humans are just mere mortals after all
And to the Reaper of lives eventually must fall
And the fact of the matter and fact never lie
That far too many of us are obsessed with the needs of the i
And never help anyone in any way
So many only into the needs of the self in the Human World of today
Maybe C O V I D-19 more love and compassion to the Human World may bring
And this in itself would not be a bad thing
To it there may not be all a darker side
This terrible virus that has spread Worldwide.

The Dark Rose Of Penshurst

In the Town in View of Mt Rouse one who did not stay
The dark Rose of Penshurst where is she today
From the Southern Grampians in distance far away
It is said she is married with children in the U S of A
Wavy dark hair to her shoulders and eyes of brown
Twenty years ago the young Rose of old Penshurst Town
One without conceit and lovely to behold
In Penshurst one not destined for to grow old
She left Penshurst at twenty close to her life's prime
Perhaps she would now be showing some wear of time
Though some of her family there do remain
Cannot say if she will visit Penshurst again
The young Rose of the Town two decades ago
But doubtless that time it has become her foe.

Jerry Doody

Jerry Doody was a famous poet from Dooneen near Millstreet Town
But this was not his only claim to renown
Pre General Elections in Towns in Duhallow to Ireland's Dail
He used to introduce candidates on behalf of Fianna Fail

Far beyond the borders of Duhallow's green countryside
Jerry Doody in his lifetime became known far and wide
Quite an intelligent fellow with words he had a way
Perhaps not many who knew or knew of him are living today

Even in old age quite handsome lean looking and tall
By those who knew or knew of him he was loved by all
In the nineteen fifties he was well past his physical prime
And this is going back many decades in time

That time with it brings changes only true to say
A different Ireland to the Ireland Jerry Doody lived in today
Duhallow back then a monocultural place
Nowadays many who live there their family history to elsewhere can trace

As a poet and public speaker in his lifetime his reputation had grown
And far beyond Duhallow he was widely known
Among the deceased of Millstreet at peace he does lay
And few who knew of him are living today.

Giovanni

The accent he brought with him from far away
For as long as he lives in him will stay
Giovanni from Italy his hair silver grey
He will be eighty on his next birthday

Fifty years ago he married Kathy his Australian born and raised wife
A beautiful dark haired woman the great love of his life
But she died in childbirth he grieved for his loss
Sadly some do go through life bearing some cross

The grief at his wife's and baby's death lived in him for years
A sad memory today that brings him close to tears
He never partnered or remarried growing old on his own
Of the good and the bad times in life he has known

A likeable old fellow from a far away town
It has been many years since his hair was light brown
He will never again see the shores of Italy
And his first Hometown by the Adriatic Sea

In the townpark he is one i sometimes does see
He always does smile and say hello to me
Always on his own for his years he looks well
Of his life he does have one very sad story to tell.

Live And Let Live

Live and let live as the wise one did say
And respect to the rights of all others do pay
Most people in life only doing the best they can do
In that respect not any different to you
It is so easy in words for to put others down
They are not rare the judgmental of the town
In some of their opinions of others they do seem quite small
Their idea of a fair go does not include all
Each to their own as a truism does remain
The meaning in this it's own self does explain
One can only admire those who do their own thing
Just leave it to others your praises to sing
Any act of kindness is never too small
Long live the truth on a fair go for all.

A Survivor Of C O V I D-19

The ageing widower feeling fit and well
But he has a rather sad story to tell
C O V I D-19 has cost him the love of his life
Last week a local undertaker company buried his wife

Grandparents in their mid sixties they were married for forty years
Their enduring love of each other for him ended in tears
On fourteen days social isolation in his home on his own
On the saddest days of his life that of he has known

Not even allowed by decree of law to attend
The burial of the remains of his life's greatest friend
He only has memories of a love from him forever gone
But without her in his life he must keep living on

Never to walk with her in the parkland again
The good memories of her only with him to retain
The grief of her passing will live in him for many a day
He wonders why the virus ignored him and in the cemetery she does lay

Of much happier days in life of he surely has seen
He lives as a survivor of  C O V I D-19
The woman he loved the virus did not survive
Last week she was taken on her final drive.

Mrs K And Her Son James

The words of a wise woman i do recall
When she said pride is a thing that can come before a fall
She was not short on wisdom as i did realize
Though long deceased she was one who was wise

Of her son James Mrs K felt so proud
And of his achievements his praises sung loud
He was the manager of a big city bank
Of social standing he was one of high rank

But James used his position to profit by crime
And for his wrongdoing he is serving jail time
He stole money from the bank quite a large amount
And placed it in an overseas bank in a false name account

And worse for him he has become estranged from his two young daughters and his wife
Since the bank claimed their home and their assets and left them penniless in life
For James it is obvious that greed did not pay
He will be in prison for quite a long stay

His once proud mum does not boast of him today
In fact of him she does have nothing to say
From her former friends she has chosen to hide
She sold her town house and moved to the countryside

The words of the wise woman i do retain
Pride can come before a fall as a truism remain
One has to spare a thought for Mrs K
She does not talk of her son James today.

White Eared Honeyeaters

Honeyeaters of grey head, white patches on ears, dark throat, undersides yellow and back and tail green
In woodlands birds often heard though not often seen
Though once seen and once heard one never again gets them wrong
As they have a metallic cheery sort of song

As birds go one might say that they are strangers to fame
White eared honeyeaters for them is their common name
Of humans they do not show that much fear
When they see you like most birds do they do not quickly disappear

In cup nest of bark on fork of branch of tree
The female lay white eggs pink spotted of two or three
Noisy honeyaters with ways of their own
And so much about them does remain to be known

Once seen and once heard they live in memory
These birds i know of though seldom hear or see
They are not very plentiful their numbers seem few
But in this time of Climate Change this is nothing new.

On Nature

She is quite amazing in truth one can say
And of her we do learn something new every day
Our wonderment of her only seems to grow
Yet so little about her we can claim of to know
Those who believe they know everything on Nature believe their own lies
Of them to make such a public proclamation not very wise
Though in natural science they may have a degree
There is far more to Nature than the human eyes can see
Nature is one who has ways of her own
And so much about her to humanity remains as unknown
Such joy to so many with her beauty she does bring
And those who do love her of her praises do sing
For her beauty to view we do not have to pay
Though her secrets from us she keeps hidden away.

In Your Words On Yourself

In your words on yourself you are far too tough
When you say to others you are not good enough
And not really that good at what best you do
Why agree with those who are judgmental of you
No shortage of those to verbally put you down
They are not even rare on your side of the town
Why worry if by you they are not impressed
Since at what you do you do give of your best
Of yourself unkind things you ought not to say
The judgmental are many in the town today
For to criticize you help from you they do not need
At being good at being negative they do succeed
Self effacement and humility it does seem sad for to say
Does not seem to work well in the Human World of today.

That You Are The Lucky One

The years seem to go fast beyond the human physical prime
And eventually  we all become victims of time
And for as long as the gift of memory in us last
Our memories are all we retain of the past
Those feeling healthy and well in their old age only in the few
And this is not saying anything that is new
The octogenarians of body and mind quite sound
One can say in large numbers do not abound
Though you may be one short on material wealth
If you are ageing feel happy to be in good health
In truth you are far better off than the dying billionaire
On a hospital bed under intensive care
Losing life's battle and waiting to die
That you are the lucky one is not a lie.

Knowledge And Wisdom

It is something that everyone does seem to know
That knowledge and wisdom on trees does not grow
And the more you do learn the more you realize
That you are not very knowledgeable or very wise
We never stop learning it does seem this way
And we learn as we live from life every day
In life we never stop learning until the day we do die
Those who will tell you differently believe their own lie
Those who believe they know everything are lucky indeed
Since of any more learning of they are not in need
In the book of living life's lessons are  not few
And every day in life we learn something  new
Learning did not stop for you on your last day in school
If you believe that it did then you must be a fool.

For Our Own Benefits

For our own benefits her assets we use
Mother Earth who feeds us many of us does abuse
She is the one who supports all
Life forms including humans from the great to the small
Many of us humans to her not a friend
Yet on our existence on her we depend
So many do use her for their own gain
Greed is a thing beyond me to explain
Without her we could not hope for to live
Yet we take and take from her and in return to her nothing give
Due to our abuse of the natural environment many creatures have become extinct
Such bad behaviour to environmental vandalism can be linked
Our Earth Mother is the one who does feed all life forms from the great to the small
On our abuse of her we have nothing to feel proud of at all.

Old Bill

Old Bill says that life with him is okay
He will be eighty four on the fourth day of May
For one of his years he looks rather well
And of his life he has many stories to tell

Twenty years ago divorced by Kathy his wife
Who says falling in love with and marrying him a mistake in her life
Though in her early eighties she is happily married today
That she has found real love at last it does seem this way

Children, grandchildren and great grandchildren is all with Bill she now does share
Though she used to love him until she became aware
That he had many women lovers on the side
Which was a deep hurt to her feelings and pride

For an octogenarian sexually promiscuous of lovers he has a few
But chatting up women with him nothing new
The passing of time has not weakened his sexual drive
The libido in him is well and alive

Though many Seasons past his physical prime
I see him in the park from time to time
Always with one different and younger walking hand in hand
Why Kathy divorced him one can understand.

On Australian Magpies

The warbling flute like notes so pleasant to hear
Of the birds who do sing every day of the year
Australia's black and white magpies known for their beautiful song
Once seen and once heard them you never again can get wrong
On flat nest mostly of sticks high on branch of tree
That from the ground is never that hard to see
The female her blotched eggs to brood does lay
And the male from their nesting tree chase other birds away
Any other species of birds they never befriend
At all times of year their territory they defend
Familiar Australians with ways of their own
In their breeding Season to attack humans they have even been known
Near where humans live they are happpy to stay
These birds that one does hear and see every day.

Time Surely Will

When COVID-19 the ways of time has gone
Human life in the World will carry on
As virus pandemics and plagues do fade to time
Though memories of them will long outlive this rhyme

Those who believe this is just a new type of mild flu believe their own lie
Many who fall ill of COVID-19 are doomed for to die
Far more fatal than any flu or cold
And those who have died of it are not all old

But like other major pandemics of the past
COVID-19 it will not last
Though a lot of people it well may kill
If humans cannot beat it time surely will

As a Worldwide pandemic it seems an unstoppable force
But in time it too will run it's course
Though it has brought with it death and fear
It well may only live for another year

Pandemics come and pandemics go
And time to all things it becomes the foe
And though many of COVID-19 or Coronavirus have gone on their last drive
The human race it will surely survive.

How Lucky Are Those

How lucky are those who are blessed of good health
What use to those dying of cancer their material wealth
They would give all of their money and assets for to feel well again
And live happy and healthy and free of chronic pain
You may be one of the poor of your side of the town
One who knows how it feels like to be financially down
But you are in good health and of any illness free
Things not all bad for you despite your financial poverty
At least you do not lay on a hospital bed waiting to die
And though you may not realize that money is everything is based on a lie
There are wealthy people very ill and slowly dying in pain and unhappiness
Who would swap you for your good health all of the money they posses
You may live as one of the poor but compared to some wealthy people your biggest worries seem small
And you are not so badly off after all.

A March Day In Illowa

In the sunny blue sky just a few clouds of grey
In Illowa of the Moyne Shire it is such a nice day
A magpie is warbling to proclaim territory
Upon a high branch of a sunlit gum tree
On the last week of March and April quite near
Such beautiful weather for the time of year
On all Seasons the beauty of Nature everywhere to be seen
After the recent rain the coastal lands are looking green
Nature in her splendour to view always free
And in Illowa always great natural beauty to see
The contented cattle in the sunshine chewing their cuds do lay
Enjoying the warmth of a nice Autumn day
The weather temperatures just over twenty degrees
With a pleasant freshness in the coastal breeze.

There Is Always One Better

You may be quite brilliant at best what you do
But remember there is always one better than you
Yes always one better though great you may be
Though success seldom does come with humility

Though the praises of winners the masses only sing
There is not one person in the World who is not good at something
Though some for their gifts never receive money as pay
Everybody is gifted in some sort of a way

Though you may be found to be wanting when put to the test
At least you did try and you gave of your best
For winners there has to be losers life works in this way
But there is always another time and another day

At what you do you are the best in the town
And you stand on the pinnacle of local renown
But in distance you may not have to travel that far
To meet what you are good at one better than you are

Locally the best at what you are good at today
But with your success do not get carried away
For you to realize that there is one better should be a humbling thing
So leave it to others your praises to sing.

I Hope To Be Doing It

Though never to be one to the literary fore
I just enjoy writing rhymes and little else more
With rhyming words one who just loves for to play
And i add to my numbers of them every day
I would be better known and wealthier and more famous by far
As a song writing musician strumming on my guitar
On stage in the local public bar in the hour of song
A paid to entertain leader in the pub sing along
Paid for what he loves doing but just the same
I do not begrudge him his entertainment wages for fame
But what he so enjoys doing does not appeal to me
It is each to their own is how it seems to be
But i love writing rhymes of this i won't lie
And i hope to be doing it until the day i do die.

At Park Lake Pertobe

A grey and sunless morning has turned out to be a nice day after all
Towards the end of March in the Southern Fall
The evening quite sunny is not too warm or too cool
In Park Lake Pertobe in the City of Warrnambool
The moorhens and swamphens grazing by the lake
In size and appearance from each other them one could not mistake
In near to perfect weather temperatures close to twenty degrees
The pleasant warbling of the magpies is carrying in the freshening breeze
That blow across the park from nearby Lady Bay
How nice to be out and about on such a nice day

Nature's own beauty in the parks of the big town
At a time of year when the leaves on the deciduous trees are turning to brown
As food for crawling insects by their mother trees some of them on the ground
In all of Nature's Seasons natural beauty does abound
Everywhere one turns to look there is beauty to see
And the beauty in Nature to view it is free
From Park Lake Pertobe on this nice Autumn day
Earthly Utopia it cannot be that far away.

John Daly

John Daly played Gaelic Football with Cork and Millstreet
A stylish and classy forward he was quick on his feet
And with Evergreen United he starred in League of  Ireland Football
He was a fine sportsman and a gentleman overall

An octogenarian he was one who had a long life span
In Inchaleigh by Millstreet Town he grew into a man
Though in two codes  of football against the best he did play
A humble enough man in his own quiet way

One who was devoted to his family and the late Kathleen his wife
The honourable man led an honourable life
He was one who made for himself many a friend
But sadly for him his life's journey has come to an end

From Inchaleigh sixty kilometres away
In Cork the remains of John Daly lay
In human years his was quite a lengthy span
On his day he was a fine sportsman and he lived as a good man.

COVID-19 After All

In years from now many people may well recall
That the pandemic virus COVID-19 was not that bad after all
Though due to it's affects many people in Countries Worldwide
Who had contracted it prematurely had died
But despite the suffering and deaths and the grieving and tears
Some-things had come to life in humanity that had been dead for years
And these were compassion and empathy and kindness that seemed of the past
In many instances change for the better between people due to a virus came about quite fast
Due to COVID-19 narcissism and self centeredness received an almost fatal blow
Out of a terrible disease love and kindness did grow
In a major health crisis selfishness can be put to the test
In most people it only does bring out the best
COVID-19 after all may not be that bad a thing
It may give rise to more empathy with far less people their own praises willing to sing.

Dave And Maggie

Dave who often quarrels witth Maggie his wife
Says we all have our good and our bad days in life
We argue a bit but not every day
But not much love between us it does seem this way
Their only offspring Kate from home far away
Married with a baby son in the U  S of A
That Dave and Maggie loved each other happens to be so
But going back in time this now seems long ago
Living under the one roof but leading separate lives
Their marriage in name only nowadays survives
She was quite attractive when in her life's prime
But she has put on weight in the passage of time
In their early fifties compliments to each other they never does pay
And they argue a bit though not every day.

It Is Not Saying Something

It it not saying something that in any way that is new
That those who live with worries are not of the few
Of worries so many have more than their share
The carefree of the World to say the least are rare
And it only does seem a true thing for to say
That one carefree person you will not meet every day
People Worldwide in every village and city and town
In their lives know of many an up and a down
In a World where billions of people with each other for some form of success compete
The reasonably happy people are becoming harder to meet
In an age where contentment and happiness to worry are losing out
So many people have little for to smile about
The contented of mind are becoming quite rare
In a Human World where many grow poorer for every new millionaire.

The Good And Not So Good

The pandemic virus COVID-19 the character of many has put to the test
Of behaviour it has brought out in people the worst and the best
Panic buying in supermarkets that lead to angry words between people and many a fight
Is sad for to say not an uncommon sight

On what is a trying time for people in Countries Worldwide
In most people it brings out the good and the not so good side
The kindness and generosity of many we do read of and hear
That most people have much good in them is quite obviously clear

But in the year 2020 due to COVID-19 the darker side of humanity is also on display
Panic buying in the superstores goes on every day
The gentler due to the greedier and aggressive of life's necessities losing out
That at such times the self centered show their true selves there can be little doubt

In the COVID-19 virus pandemic it is only true for to say
That some people by their kindness and generosity in good example lead the way
But then there are some who leave humanity down
And do not bring honour to their side of the town.

On The Passing Of Christy Cooney

Such sad news online for to read of today
The singer musician Christy Cooney from life has passed away
Irish by birth he made his home in Apollo Bay
Quite a gentle and likeable person of him one can say
Christy was a man who drunk many a beer
And in song and music he was one who spread cheer
He did know the words of many an old song
And took part and enjoyed in many a pub sing along
In his early seventies he had made many friends over the years
And his passing from life will not go without tears
For all of us from life a final release
The great Christy Cooney may he now rest in peace.

Aubane In The Spring

It is a nice time of year in Aubane in the Spring
In the valley by Mushera when the nesting birds sing
And cattle out of wintering sheds from months of eating silage and hay
On nutritious young grass are gaining weight by the day

Along the high countryside above Millstreet Town
The narrow Butter Road winds up and down
Up from Aubane valley by Mushera's Hill
A scenic old place where time seems to stand still

The people of Aubane for their hospitality known
Where they welcome a stranger as one of their own
To an old Irish culture their links remain strong
In their community hall they do have their ceilis and evenings of dance and song

But Spring in Aubane is the greenest time of year
When the voice of the migratory cuckoo one often does hear
And the swallows home to breed from Lands far away
Above the green valley fly in pursuit of flying insects all day

Where a stranger is welcomed as a familiar face
For to live in or visit quite a beautiful place
Aubane in Duhallow above Millstreet Town
Where the narrow Butter Road does wind up and down.

Perhaps It Would Be Better

Though in the twenty first century with many it is an in thing
Perhaps it would be better if you left it to others your praises to sing
That self praise is no praise as a truism remain
The meaning in this it's own self does explain
Though their sort not everybody does admire
Of singing their own praises some never does tire
But it does take all sorts it does seem this way
It is each to their own as the wise one does say
In a Human World where many for material success compete
The happy in their lot becoming harder to meet
In a time where many for wealth and fame have in them the need
The humble of mind are becoming a rare breed
To become a wealthy celebrity so many desire
And of singing their own praises never seem to tire.

The Queen Of Koroit

At Tower Hill Cemetery her remains will forever lay
The Queen of Koroit she has lived her last day
In her death Koroit Town has lost some of it's soul
There was only one Mary Fiorinni Lowell

Born as Mary Bourke in Koroit Town ninety three years ago
But time as is said becomes everyone's foe
She is with the deceased of Koroit but of her one can say
That she was quite unique in her own charming way

Her colourful journey in life it has come to an end
Survived by her husband Frank and her relatives and the many she did befriend
Through the decades her  friends in numbers had grown
Far beyond the Moyne Shire borders she was well loved and known

A socialite and story teller as well as a poet
She was one who was looked on as well worthy of note
In her prime years she visited many a Country
And she knew of fame as an actress in Italy

But in Koroit with her husband Frank she did grow old
And at social gatherings recited her spud poem and many stories of her travels told
Her heart that beat with kindness is now forever still
In the Cemetery by the Prince's Freeway in view of Tower Hill.

On The Passing Of Donie Golden

Sad news out of Tullig on the Butter Road above the Town of Millstreet
Donie Golden as nice a person as one could wish for to meet
Of  his more than seven decades life span has lived his last day
One who lived as a good person in every way

An honest person who lived an honourable life
Devoted to his sons and their children and Molly his wife
His family and friends will grieve for their loss
But none go through life without bearing some cross

One who in life never yearned for Worldly renown
He will be missed from Tullig and Millstyreet Town
Quite humble and as honest as the word can be
His sort becoming rarer in the twenty first century

That we are born to mortality happens to be so
And eventually time becomes everyone's foe
Life is the greatest gift anyone does possess
Far greater than any other form of success

For all of us from life a final release
Donie Golden lived as a good person may he now rest in peace
Millstreet where his was a familiar face
For him living in it was a better place.

The Old Ballad Singer

The old ballad singer is showing his years in grey
He clearly has known of a far better day
But on Saturday evening the leader in song
In the local pub in the sing along
Though his voice not as good as it used to be
The words of many old songs live in his memory
Born to entertain and of any stage nerves free
He sings rather well for one of eighty three
His aged wife remains as his number one fan
In her eyes he is quite a wonderful man
They are great grandparents their descendants in numbers does grow
The old ballad singer and his wife every local does know
Though he is many years past his physical prime
He is one who refuse to surrender to time.

Words Like I Love You

By lovers to each other said every day
But words like i love you are so easy to say
Love is a thing that must be deeply felt by two
It is so very easy for to say i love you
The rejection of love can cause deep mental pain
And with the jilted one for ages does remain
But time it is the greatest healer of all
Old words of wisdom that are well worthy of recall
Of the praises of true love feel happy to sing
But i love you to say is such an easy thing
Some loves do not last long and some last for years
But love for at least one always end in tears
Love that can end in grief often begins in a kiss
And when in full bloom can be a thing of bliss.

Born To Win

Cannot say i know of a place where angels do dwell
But i know many people live in Earthly Hell
The hungry and homeless of the bigger town
Who will die as they live as strangers to renown
Without a roof for shelter under the star-light
Many will try to sleep hungry tonight
Could this be part of their life's destiny
For to be born for to live in extreme poverty?
Their struggle for survival goes on every day
Who could ever wish for to live in this way
Among the homeless, the hungry and the refugees
Poverty does come in varying degrees
You with plenty food for to eat and a comfortable home to live in
Though not wealthy you are one of those born to win.

Time Does Not Wait

A minority become wealthy celebrities and many remain unsung
And some live to die old and some do die young
At the stroke of midnight today will be of the past
And time does not wait it keeps on ticking fast
The news headlines of today become future history
We only have memories of what used to be
That no one lives forever only true to say
For all of us there is this last night and day
The longest lived human life in time not a long span
On average a few years more for a woman than it is for a man
Treat everyone as you would like them to treat you
To live as a good person is the best you can do
Eventually we all become victims of time
And for me too in life there will be a last rhyme.

Spring In Ballydaly

In leafy groves near Ballydaly nesting birds singing today
And dark swallows above the old fields back home to breed from far away
On pursuit of flying insects are chirping as they fly
Long distance aerial speedsters these nomads of the sky
In Spring in Ballydaly such natural beauty to be seen
When Nature's flowers are abundant in old fields lush and green
And the contented cattle chewing their cuds do lay
Happy to be out on grass again from months of eating silage and hay
The dark brown water bird dipper of breast as white as snow
It's metallic song is echoing  on rock where river rapids flow
In green old Ballydaly in the Spring of the year
The sights and sounds of Nature so nice to see and hear
A freshening breeze from the Boggeraghs above the old fields blow
Where cloaked from view in the rushes the shy cock pheasant crow.

On Politicians

Why are politicians so self righteous and rude
Some of the things they say to each other quite crude
In their parliamentary debates nice things of each other they seldom does say
Not many honourable politicians it does seem this way
In politics even some in the same party in private are foes
It is all about power one does have to suppose
Of honourable politicians every Country in need
But in politics such people could not hope to succeed
Most of the questions asked by the media from a politician receives an ambiguous reply
To them the truth is a thing that is for to deny
Most politicians are not known for their honesty
To lie to them is a thing that comes naturally
The main reason one must suppose that they lie every day
Is that in politics it does seem the truth does not pay.

That We Become Our Own Thoughts

That we become our own thoughts would you not agree
The beauty in your mind in others you do see
Your genuine love of self in self does not stay
You share it with others that you meet every day
The most compassionate person on our street has a beautiful mind
Her genuine love of self towards others makes her loving and kind
Every day for herself she plants Karma's good seed
By helping people of her help in need
For the helping of others she never receives honour or pay
Due to her genuine love of self to help others she goes out of her way
The love she has in her with others she does share
Sadly her sort nowadays in the World are rare
That we become our own thoughts happens to be true
The beauty you see in olthers is the beauty in you.

2020 Will Be Remembered

Among Worldwide human populations causing death and fear
2020 will be remembered as the year
Of Coronavirus or COVID-19
Few places in the World that to it has not been
A virus that from it there seems nowhere to hide
And for to avoid it you need luck on your side
And many of those who survive it healthwise may never again be the same
This terrible virus that has more than one name
In damper and cooler climates it seems for to thrive
And many over seventy who contracts it the affects of it may not survive
In Wuhan in China it supposedly began
This virus that has brought a premature end to many a human life span
2020 will be remembered as the year many people died
Of a terrible virus in Countries Worldwide.

Where Narcissism For So Many

On the ladder of Worldly success you have climbed far
You own a big new home and drive an expensive car
But on how you treat others says more about you
Than what in life for your own self that you do

Others on the hill of success have slid down
For you to become the materially wealthiest person in the town
Many of those with money as their god are in spiritual poverty
Though with such an opinion many would disagree

Those who live for self only from their higher self further away
Than the kind and compassionate who perform good deeds every day
But these are the people further from Worldwide renown
Than the wealthy celebrities of the big town

As these are the people many do admire
And of singing their praises never seem to tire
And it is a sad Human World one has to say
Where narcissism for so many does seem to pay.

A Duhallow Spring

On The Boggeragh Ranges not one trace of snow
As the cool winds of Spring in Duhallow do blow
And the nesting birds singing on trees and on every hedgerow
In the green countryside where the Blackwater flow

Spring in Duhallow is a green time of year
As the weather grows warmer with the Summer drawing near
The swallows home to breed for their annual five to six months stay
Above the fields on pursuit of flying insect prey

Out of farmyard sheds from months of eating silage and hay
On nutritious young grass cattle gaining weight by the day
And the migratory nest parasite cuckoo it's voice familiar to hear
Is quite unmistakeable and pleasantly clear

Hidden among the rank rushes the male pheasant crow
Of the offsprings he fathers he will never know
And the piping of the curlew for to hear quite a beautiful thing
A fond memory to retain of a Duhallow Spring

The territorial drumming of the male snipe as darkness cloaks the sky
As above his marshy breeding territory to and fro he does fly
Memories of a Duhallow Spring a lifetime does remain
In visualizations for to visit again.

He Achieved His Wish

As an angler it does seem he has made his mark
On his boat a photograph of him holding a dead gummy shark
In the local newspaper on his face a big smile
This ought to serve his ego well for awhile
A photograph with an article on his lounge room wall to hang on display
For to remind him and his children and his friends of his glorious day
When to his boat he reeled a big fish in
For his record catch  an angling first prize win
And on his mantlepiece the angling trophy is on show
Of his winning day fishing he wants others to know
That our successes in life can become an extension of our egos only true to say
That most of us crave the admiration of others it does seem this way
Photographed in his boat with his prize winning fish
On winning the angling competition he achieved his wish.

John Masefield

John Masefield was a Poet Laureate of England one of the greatest writers of his time
The poems live on for their descriptive beauty of this man who did write long stories in rhyme
Dauber, Reynard The Fox and The Daffodil Fields to read enjoyable these long narratives poems by so many have been read
Of the master rhyming wordsmith of the twentieth century his poems live on though he is long with the dead

When read his poetry live on in the memory on page he brought to life interesting characters to meet
In Right Royal, Lollingdon Downs and Rosas and the memorable Widow Of The By Street
There will never again be a poet quite like him the rhymes must have been bubbling in his brain
Truly an amazing story teller among the great poets his place he does retain

His enjoyable to read Saltwater Ballads as a writer helped to make him better known
To most other poets in writing style he was so different one can say he was in a class of his own
And yet he  did not die as a wealthy fellow from writing he just earned a living pay
He was one of those who truly lived his poetry one can say of him he came up the hard way

John Masefield was from Ledbury in England one who ventured far from his home countryside
As a young man he went to sea as a sailor working on cargo ships he travelled far and wide
He later became the Poet Laureate of England with rhyme one who did have a way
A master wordsmith of meter and rhyming not many of his sort living today.