Tower Hill

 The grey kangaroos at Tower Hill in the high scrub rest for most of the day

Though some of them do graze near cover and on seeing you quickly bound away

Of human beings wild roos are wary and quickly hop out of sight

Though they are sometimes seen in the daytime they are mostly creatures of the night

In Tower Hill as well as roos much native wildlife emus, koalas, echidnas and black wallabies

And at dusk the brushtail and ringtail possums one hear calling on the trees

Once home to Tower Hill's first people who were known as the Peek Wurrong

They did lose out to colonizers but their spirits in Tower Hill belong

In Tower Hill one can see white long billed corellas and the big dark brown parrots nicknamed weerloos

From their call though they are known to most people as yellow tailed black cockatoos

In the big lakes in the volcanic valley many species of water birds in large numbers abound

Tower Hill to the Peek Wurrong people for centuries was sacred ground

Tower Hill that has many visitors in the coastal lands near Koroit Town

For it's many species of native wildlife it has a widespread renown.

On The Passing Of Ben O' Riordan

 Ben O'Riordan though one well advanced in years

His passing from life in Cullen would not have gone without tears

The friends over the years in numbers had grown

Of this likeable character who was widely known

Long before time it did become his foe

He owned one of Ireland's fastest greyhounds many decades ago

Sir Denis a fawn son of Tanyard Heather and Roxanne bred by Andy Duggan and trained by Andy's brother Tim

There were few dogs in Ireland then who were as fast as him

But sadly for his connections in the Ryan Cup at the Cork Track 

During the race Sir Denis another greyhound did attack

The warm favourite in the betting he did not run a place

For the speedy Millstreet greyhound it was his last race

At the disappointment of his greyhound Ben felt a bit sad

But with a shrug of his shoulders he said life has it's good and it's bad

The next evening in a pub in Cullen as he drank a beer

With a smile on his face he was in the mood for cheer

Ben O' Riordan has lived his last night and day

In the Cemetery at Cullen his last remains lay

As kind and generous a person as one could wish to meet

Well known and well liked in and far beyond Cullen in the Parish of Millstreet.

Liam Gallagher

 Born and raised in Murphy's Terrace in Millstreet Town

But he died far from those old streets he often walked up and down

In Slievemore Cemetery in Achill County Mayo his last remains lay

From the town of his boyhood in kilometres far away

Liam Gallagher in his young years was handsome and tall

And those who knew him in Millstreet good memories of him will recall

Survived by his brothers Donie and Tony, Liam in his late sixties or early seventies was not a very old man

In the twenty first century in human years this is not a long span

Like so many others in his Hometown he did not stay

He died far from where he first saw light of day

In Achill doubtless many friends he did gain

And all who knew him in Millstreet good memories of him will retain

Hope his parting from life for him was a painless release

In Slievemore Cemetery County Mayo he now is at peace.

Eileen MacEvilly

 Eileen MacEvilly born and raised as a Hickey in Liscreagh in Millstreet

In the green countryside where the waterways meet

Wife of the late Vincent and survived by her son Stephen, brothers Connie and Donal and sister Finola and nieces and nephews as well

Of her travels she would have many stories to tell

An octogenarian with her husband an adventurous life she did lead

And a biography of her would make for a good read

Her travels from Liscreagh took her far away

For many years she lived in San Fransico in the U S of  A

In Aughavale Cemetery in Westport County Mayo her last remains lay

In distance far north of her first home in Liscreagh

Where she first saw light of day eighty eight years ago

But eventually time becomes everyone's foe

In the Parish of Millstreet one who did not stay

Time on all life does have the last say

May Eileen rest in peace in Westport County Mayo

Far north of where she lived many years ago.

Self Love

 Next to life one of the great gifts that anybody can possess

Those with genuine love of self in them others never wish to impress

With others the love that is in them they are always willing to share

Those who have love of self in them of the needs of others are aware

Narcissism to self love is different in fact to any form of love it does not belong

Those who believe it is a form of self love in reality do have it wrong

Narcissism is an obsession with self just this and little else more

To narcissists the needs of the self only matter and the needs of others they ignore

Of their sort sadly there are many and of any more humanity is not in need

They lack in empathy, kindness and compassion and never perform a good deed

Obsessed with self in a big way their own praises they love to sing

They crave the attention of others in life with them this is their thing

Those who do have self love in them possess a great gift indeed

Always willing to help others and on doing so sow Karma's good seed.

Rats And Mice

 Few people ever say of them things that are nice

But they are Nature's great survivors rats and mice

Despite baiting and trapping as the years go by

In large numbers they do seem to multiply

Some children have a mouse or a rat for a pet

And when they are sick do take them to a vet

A pet mouse or rat is gentle and quiet

And the children who have them say they never bite

But of rats and mice human friends are few

And this is not saying anything that is new

And companies that manufacture rodent bait in sales doing financially well

Billions worth in baits every year they are known for to sell

Wild rats and mice disease to humans have been known for to spread

And many will tell you that the only good rat or mouse is one that is dead

They give birth to large families one of the reasons why

Humans cannot rid the World of them though their best to they do try

There are more rats and mice than human beings in the World of today

That they will survive Climate Change  of them one can say

They cause millions in money in damage to food every day of the year

And that they are Nature's survivors is obviously clear.

We All Have Our Own Dreams

 We all have our own dreams in life to pursue

And that we receive from life what is only our due

Only applies to those not born into poverty

At least anyhow this is how it seems to be

So many doing it tough in the Human World of today

The hungry the homeless and those whose work is not matched by pay

The Stateless of the World who from hunger and torture are forced for to flee

Who would wish for to live life as a refugee?

That inequality is rife is not saying what is new

In a World where the majority of the wealth is owned by the few

That we receive from life what is only our due

For only a minority happens to be true

And does not apply to the poor of every town

Who to no fault of their own are financially down.

You Can Only Live

 You can only live to be the best you can be

And treat others as you would like them treat you with decency 

It is true what we do to others to our own selves we do

The poor one who is  kinder to others than you are is a better person than you

In a World where so many people for attention with each other compete

The humble and kind are becoming harder to meet

The wealthy and famous celebrities many do admire

And of singing their praises never seem to tire

It is a sad World to live in for the poor and downtrod

The children of the children of the lesser god

Who only know of the hard times life on them always tough

The homeless and hungry who at night do sleep rough

You can live as a good person though you are financially down

And in some ways be a superior person to some of the wealthy of the town.

Their Names Do Live

 Their names do live as Irish literary greats

Joyce and Beckett and Heaney and Yeats

In the literary World they remain leading lights

But reading them will not have you laughing all night

Surely great writers in case you get me wrong

And among the World's best they surely belong

But lacking in the humor of Ireland's wronged literary child

The brilliant and sharp witted one known as Wilde

And as for Mangan the author of Dark Rosaleen

Far tougher days than most in life he had seen

In post famine days of malnutrition and consumption he died

A great Irish poet who is not recognized Worldwide

Some of James Stephens poems in you will raise a smile

To read some of his writing may be worth one's while

To him he did have quite a humorous side

Yet his writing never inspires in Irish literary critics a sense of pride

Kavanagh and Gogarty two who come to mind

One could not say of them that they were of a kind

That they did not like each other only true to say

But politics in this did have some part to play

Of more Irish writers one could talk about

But in a short rhyme some names have to be left out

Mine is just one opinion which to little amount

And i am not one whose literary criticisms are taken into account.

The Former Pride Of The Moyne Shire

 The former Pride of the Moyne Shire where is she today

She was a rare beauty though youth with none does stay

Her shoulder length hair was wavy and brown

The finest in her prime in Port Fairy Town

Going back in time now three decades ago

When she was in her prime twenty five years or so

She left Port Fairy one morning in May

On a one way ticket to the U S of A

In her twenties admired by many young men

She has not been seen in Port Fairy since then

Perhaps never to be seen in the Moyne Shire again

But in all who knew her the memories remain

Of the former Pride of the Moyne Shire

She was one many young men did admire.

Mother Earth

 Mother Earth without doubt the World's greatest power

With the help of her sibling Nature can create a beautiful flower

She feeds all life forms of the World including us human kind

And a greater friend than she is there is not for us to find

She provides for us our every need our every living day

Yet she does not have many human friends which does seem sad to say

Many of us abuse her for our financial gain

Why we abuse the one who feeds us is beyond me to explain

Since she is the one who owns us and to her we do belong

Those who believe they own Mother Earth have surely got it wrong

Most of us from her take and take and in return nothing give

Yet she is the only reason that in the World we can live

And whether we are cremated or be buried to decay

To the one who clothe and feed us we will return to one day.

How It Always Will Be

 Though few autobiographies by publishers published to sell

Everyone do have their own life story to tell

Only the stories of the wealthy and famous seem to matter and they are of the few

You may say to this do tell us what is new

Of the flawed people the famous and wealthy the most flawed of all

And of the criminal behaviour of some of them many stories to recall

From the wealthy celebrity to the never do well

Everyone have their own story of life to tell

In a Human World where for one to win big many have to lose

And losing is a thing in life anyone does not choose

It is the same today as in the days of old

The life story of most people will never be told

And excepting the wealthy and celebrated minority

This is how it is and how it always will be.

A Good Man

A good man he cares for his paraplegic wife

And he is one who does live a moral wife

Often see him in the park pushing her wheelchair

He is one of  those kind and compassionate men and their sort are not rare

We hear about males who live immoral lives

And home from the pub beat their children and wives

But despite what some of the more negative people of men do say

Only a minority of males behave in this way

That there are no shortage of good men in the World happens to be true

This is to give males in general what is only their due

It is only the bad males that we read of and hear about

Positive stories of caring and kind males of the news seems to always lose out

It is only stories of badly behaved men we read of or hear

That many people like hearing negative stories it only appear.

Arguably The Most Popular

 The town's arguably most popular person is well loved and well known

And most locals feel proud to claim him for their own

About him he does have quite a charming way

And he greets everyone he meets with a good day

The lilt in his laughter makes for a happy sound

He carries joy with him and shares it around

Perhaps the reason for himself so many friends he has won

Is that he only has praise for everyone

Though some discerning locals of him does say

That he is into flattery in a big way

Which makes old words of wisdom worthy of recall

That you may well win many but you will not win them all

The main reason he is arguably the most popular person in the town

Is that in his words he never puts anyone down.

A Stranger Today

 A stranger today in his first hometown

On old streets he often did walk up and down

When he was a teenager many Seasons ago

Long before time it did become his foe

Before the yearn to travel took him to elsewhere

To experience life in the big World out there

Back for a hometown visit after an absence of forty years

Though for the what was he has shed his last nostalgic tears

A grandfather in his late sixties he now feels out of place

Where his to many used to be a known face

Back in his hometown only for a brief stay

In a forthnight from now he will be on his way

Back to Australia to his family and wife

Where he will live until the end of his life.

Of How Knowledgeable You Are

 It is true that some birds are faster than others at flying

And that most politicians are quite good at lying 

And for an answer you should not be stuck

If you are asked to recognize a turkey from a duck

But these are things of everyone should know

And of your I Q anything does not show

And though the praises of well educated people many may sing

Human knowledge can be quite a relative thing

For knowledge many people have the desire

But it is only from living life's experience you acquire

You may have been to a university

And to show for it have your uni degree

This only proves that you are better educated than most by far

But it does not tell us of how knowledgeable you are.

In The Twenty First Century

 In the twenty first century self promotion is an in thing

And many their own praises seem happy to sing

And in a World where so many people for attention compete

The down to earth people getting harder to meet

In an age when the narcissistic sort are no longer rare

So many of their own needs are only aware

And the gap between the have and the have not is widening by the day

Which does seem a very sad thing for to say

And it is not saying anything that is new

That the majority of the wealth of the World is owned by the few

And even in so called wealthy Nations many are doing it tough

And are homeless and hungry and at night sleeping rough

And when many must lose for a few for to win

It is not a nice World for the majority to live in.

Many Like You

 So you are being having another bad day

And nothing of late seems to be going your way

But in life one must accept the good with the bad

And the happiest of people at times do feel sad

Hope for times better can only be said

Happier days of you may be ahead

Who knows what tomorrow to you will bring

You may be in the mood again for to sing

Today you are feeling sad and mentally down

Not one of the happiest on your side of the town

Feeling quite maudlin and full of self doubt

And nothing in your life for to smile about

Life has many an up and a down as they say

And many like you are not happy today.

Tim Murphy

 Long before time it did become his foe

Tim Murphy left Claramore many decades ago

Where his journey in life for him began

And where he lived as a boy and grew into a young man

From Claramore in view of Clara's Hill in distance far away

To Somerville Massachusetts in the U S of  A

Where he helped raise his children and lived with Betty his wife

His soulmate as well as the great love of his life

Sad to hear he has lived his last night and day

But death is for all of us in truth one can say

Tim Murphy on his ninety second year of life had a long span

And lived true to his higher self as an honourable man

Though in his home in the U S he breathed his last

Tim did retain his links to his Millstreet Past

By visiting his first home in Claramore when his brother Johnny was alive

The love of first homeplace until death in every migrant survive

Tim Murphy at heart he was quite a good bloke

One who enjoyed a beer and could laugh at a joke

In his long life so many new friends he did gain

And all who did know him good memories of him will retain.

So Many People Do Daydream

 So many people do daydream of great wealth and fame 

And in the World out there of becoming a great name

But for so many  people few of their dreams come true 

And what they dream of in life to be their due

Not everyone can become famous and wealthy and known Worldwide

To achieve such things one does need great luck on their side

And few make it to the summit of celebrity and material success

And the few who do make it not everyone does impress

Of material and celebrity success many young people do dream

But in life as in sports not everyone  does become a member of a winning team 

And thoug losing is something anyone does not choose

For one for to win big many do have to lose

And though few dreams for most people never come true

Everyone needs a dream in life to pursue.

The Past Is The Past

 Old memories you retain like the words of  favouriote song

Wherever you go to your past with you goes along

Memories of your good and not so good times with you does remain

In moments of reflection to visit again

The past may be in the past and the forever gone

But in the memory of your mind it is living on

And for as long as your gift of memory you retain

The mental images of what was in you will remain

From our life's experience we learn some are known to say

But with everybody it is not this way

That age does not come with wisdom i have come to realize

As i know some ageing people who are not very wise

The past is the past well may be true

But the memories of what was does remain in you.

The Beauty In Nature

 In words i can only try my best to describe

The natural beauty i see around me every day

The beauty in Nature one does not pay to see

Wherever you live from you it is not far away

Even in the big city park Nature's beauty does dwell

Where her wild born birds chirp and sing on bush and tree

The beauty you see on your walks every day

As mental images live on in your memory

The more we learn about Nature the more we come to realize

That so little about her of we can claim to know

From tiny seeds she helps Mother Earth 

To shrubs and flowers and to tall trees grow

In town and city parks and in the countryside

The beauty in Nature every day one does see

And the best thing about it for everyone

To view and enjoy it is monetary free.

The Person That Is You

 Those who admire you for your financial success

Are the people who are not that hard to impress

They only admire you for the size of your home and your brand new expensive car

But not for the person that you really are

Wealthy people like you are they can only admire

And just to be like you in life they desire

It does not matter if with those doing it tough you never do share

They only admire you for being a multi millionaire

For your money making gifts many admirers you win

But you do not make the World better for any poor person to live in

You are just one more wealthy person who for self only care

And people of your sort sad to say are not rare

It is not what you do for yourself but what for others you do

That tells of the greatness of the person that is you.

If There Is A Supreme God

 If there is a supreme god in her or his paradise in the sky

I would like to ask her or him why

That they have allowed millions of people of  malnutrition to die

Or is all this talk of a just god a religious lie

To keep the billions in poverty when they draw their last living breath

That their souls will enter heaven post bodily death

If this god is just can anyone explain

That so many are allowed to die slowly of hunger pain

In a World where there is enough of food for everyone for to feed

Nobody of a lack of food should live in need

God in the sky that billions of to do pray

You must not be as just and kind as your followers do say

To allow people to die in a terrible way

The slow death of malnutrition in the World every day.

Kathleen O' Mahony

 Predeceased by her husband Dano and one of her sons Eddy she lived a long life

A good mother to her children and to her husband a good wife

The mother of a large family Kathleen O' Mahony nee Carroll had lived in Murphy's Terrace for many years 

And her passing from life would not have gone without tears

One of the unsung heroines of Millstreet Town

In life she never did crave renown

The youngest of her children no longer young

She was one of the good people who has lived and died as unsung

In Millstreet Town never to be seen again

But all who knew her good memories of her will retain

Few she went to school with are living today

In St Mary's by Cashman's Hill at peace she does lay

She did go through life without harming anyone

And she deserves to be remembered for the good things she done.

Not Many Trustworthy Politicians

 Not many trustworthy politicians though in parliament there are the rare few

That in their ways are quite honest and this is not saying what is new

Yes not many politicians who to their higher selves do remain true

There are many rogues sitting in parliament and this is to give them their due

Most politicians when asked questions by the media do not give an honest reply

That they are so very evasive does cause one for to wonder why

To a question they cannot give a straight answer they sure must have something to hide

One can say of most politicians they do have cunning on their side

Members of parliament are referred to as the honourable but most of them not honourable in any way

There are not many honourable members in any house of parliament today

One lie with most of them leads to another they even believe their own lies

That parliament house is mostly of the rogue sort many people do not seem to realize

Most sitting members of parliament honour to their chosen career do not bring

If you believe all they do tell you then you will believe anything.

The Claramore Rill

 It flows from the high ground downland with a will

By night and by day it's tongue is never still

After heavy rain on the fields of Claraghatlea it's overflow spill

On it's way to the river the Claramore Rill

In their breeding Season in the prime of the Spring

The dark brown white breasted water birds dipper on it's bank do sing

Their heads bob up and down singing their shrill like song

Once seen and once heard one could never again get them wrong

 

Long before the first humans to Duhallow came

Like all waterways it did not have a name

In the age of the dinosaurs it was very old

And the truth of it's history will never be told

It has inspired the artists and the writers of story and rhyme

And in a voice never still through the Seasons of time

It flows in Claraghatlea to the rivers to the Atlantic shore

The rill from the fields of high Claramore.

Hares

 Hares unlike rabbits when pursued do not go to ground

And in large numbers they are not known to abound

The female gives birth to a few young that she hides separately in long grass

That you may not even notice though near to them you may pass

Out of the brightness of the daylight

Unseen the mother she comes for them to suckle from her at night

Unlike rabbits from predators hares to survive rely on their speed

And dodging ability to help them survive in their time of need

For most predators hares are too skilful and speedy to kill

And they do not tire easily even when running uphill

Far easier prey than hares for to catch for to eat

Only the oldest and frailest become predator meat

Hares unlike their cousins rabbits one does not see every day

Out of sight in long grass they keep hidden away.

Do Not Waste Your Tears

 When i breathe my last on me do not waste your tears

For i have had a good life and lived for many years

Save your grief for the less fortunate living instead

The poor and the hungry homeless many of them who wish they were dead

It would not be my choice to return to live in

This World where many must lose for a few for to win

Where inequality is rife and quite sad to say

That the gap between the wealthy and poor keeps on growing by the day

Earthly Utopia is only for the minority

So many people Worldwide living in dire poverty

Due to circumstance of birth only of poverty they have known

And all of this due to no fault of their own

Even in so called wealthy Countries many poor people are doing it tough

And are homeless and hungry and at night sleeping rough

And too few to help them in their times of need

Compared to them i have been quite lucky indeed.

I Do Not Have The Will

 For many years i have been a rhyming buff

Just one who has written a whole heap of stuff 

One ignored by the literary critics is how it seems to be

It was my love of rhyme made a rhymer of me

And suppose i will be rhyming until the day i do die

If i did tell you differently it would be a lie

I penned my first rhymes in nineteen seventy three

This is going back in time as most would agree

To those who ask why i keep on penning rhymes i do not pay any heed

Since they would not understand in me there is this need

Or perhaps an addiction for penning of rhyme

That does not seem to subside with the passing of time

With me it is an addiction in truth i can say

And i do not have the will to give rhyming away.

There Is More To Life

 There is more to living of life than a game of football

Sports and celebrity fans their worries must be small

If these things are all they have to worry about

Of how contented they are they do leave little doubt

If they did have any big worries in life

Were suffering due to mental or physical inner strife

They would not be boosting the egos of the already over celebrated few

In a World where celebrity worship is not anything that is new

Thanks to their fans the egos of the admired growing bigger by the day

But it is each to their own as the wise one did say 

In the multi millionaire celebrities they celebrate

The impressionable majority big egos create

It is heaven on Earth for the wealthy admired

And of singing their praises their fans never seem to grow tired.

Vows That Are Taken

 Vows that are taken and sealed with a kiss

Their wedding for them was a day near bliss

A couple of children later and a couple of years

Her marriage  that began in love and laughter ended for her in tears

On her own with her five year old daughter and four year old boy

For the divorced woman with young children in life no joy

Her ex husband with a baby daughter and an attractive looking young wife

Does seem contented in his new role in life

Though a little in child allowance in money he pay

He has not seen his two eldest children for many a day

And since of love's disappointment she only has known

With her children she is contented to live on her own

Doubtless she is not the first woman and will not be the last

For to regret her love mistakes of the past.

Gang Gang Cockatoos

 Slaty grey birds with white bills the males with red head and face

Medium sized wood dwelling parrots of the cockatoo race 

High on an old tree in a cavity the female two or three white eggs lay

Birds mostly that live in pairs that one does not see every day

They mostly eat seeds of native trees and insects and hawthorn berries in the Fall

Birds distinctive in their appearance and their squeaky door like call

Of the cockatoo family perhaps the rarest and least known

Yet they are interesting birds with ways of their own

In Halls Gap a few years ago a pair of them i did see

Quietly eating seeds on a eucalypt tree

Of humans they do not seem fearful or shy

They keep on eating seeds though you watch from the ground to them nearby

Not the fastest of parrots when travelling by sky

By their appearance and calls not hard to identify.

The Needs Of The Homeless

 The needs of the homeless and hungry not to the political fore

A subject politicians of all parties ignore

Since of where their supporters come from they have taken note

And that few very poor people ever bother to vote

But most of the homeless and hungry one can hardly blame

If they look on all politicians and political parties as much the same

Life is never easy for the financially down

And no shortage of them in any city or town

The rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer in Countries Worldwide

In the ever increasing gap in the social divide

Politicians only legislate for the well to do middle class and every millionaire

It is not a good World to live in for the homeless and hungry, the working poor and those on welfare

The poor of the World are no longer rare

And this is something that most people of are aware.

In Pleasant March Weather

 Not born into life to be a financial or material success

Or others in any way for to impress

To pen rhyme the only gift i do possess

It is something i do enjoy doing nonetheless

Though the sun behind grey clouds is hidden away

It is good to be living on such a nice day

In March in the early southern Autumn a weather temperature of a pleasant eighteen degrees

With the silver billed magpies warbling on the tall trees

The distinctive music so pleasant to hear

Of these birds who do sing every day of the year

White butterflies seemingly dancing as they fly

And dark welcome swallolws chasing flying insects in the sky

On such a nice evening to be out and about

In pleasant March weather in the coastal south.

One Of The Headline Stories

 One of the headline stories in the news of today

Another celebrity from life has passed away

Grieved by his family and fans and those in life he did befriend

Sad to hear his life's journey has come to an end

Doubtless a good person but every day good people have died

And are not grieved by people Nationally or Worldwide 

Good people Worldwide in every village and city and town

Who have lived and have died as strangers to renown

Every day the gift of life from celebrities has gone

But humanity and life in the World without them goes on

Another famous celebrity in the cemetery lay

He will not be the last in truth one can say

And life will go on in the World and time will not stand still

And if old age does not claim you illness surely will.

My Wonder Of Her

 For any writer in Nature so much to write about

And so many natural wonders in this Land of the South

Of Nature's fauna and flora we learn every day

She is a great teacher in truth one can say

Yet the more we learn of Nature the more we come to realize

That there is far more to her than meet the eyes

Her secrets from human eyes hidden away

And her beauty is always on public display

The praises of Nature those who love her do sing

And to those who admire her such joy she does bring

Though so much about her remains as unknown

She is one who is in a class of her own

So little about her i can claim of to know

But my wonder of her only does seem to grow.

Happens To Be So

 Young men who go to war do wish on others ill

For god, flag, government and Country they shoot for to kill

At those supposed to be their enemies who at them shoot back

And with high powered weaponry set up a counter attack

That we have not learned from war history seems sad to say

In war and in war zones people dying every day

From past wars lessons have not been learned and suppose never will

Though Moses fifth commandment states 'thou shalt not kill'

But Moses fifth commandment war men disobey

To them killing in war it is quite okay

The praises of dead war heroes by patriots are sung

But it is not always true that only the good do die young

The war supposed to end all wars ended a century ago

But that this is a fallacy happens to be so.

It Is Not Hard To Tell

 In the company always advertising for new staff it is not hard to tell

That the management do not pay or treat their employees well

For in a time of high unemployment for workers they should not have to advertize

That workers do not leave jobs they are happy in should not be hard to realize

Most workers leave jobs due to a lack of respect for them by their bosses or insufficent pay

In jobs where they are respected and well paid most employees do stay

For employers who treat their staff badly workers are hard to be found

Of bad employers among the unemployed the word does get around

And no shortage of bad employers in the World of today

They do not respect their employees or pay them award wages which seems sad to say

They only seem interested in their own gain

And the reason they have become very wealthy it's own self does explain

In the employers always advertising for new staff a lesson it does seem

That they do not hold their workers in high esteem.

The Contented Man

 The most contented fellow who lives on our street

For attention with others does never compete

His own praises you never do hear him sing

He lives in his own way and does his own thing

In his mid twenties with a wife and young daughter a carpenter by trade

Of his opportunities in life the most he has made

He whistles in his car driving to and from his job site every day

Any worry or care from him seems far away

The contented fellow loves his young daughter and wife

And he is quite happy with his lot in life

He is not a music fan or any sporting game does not play

Just a family man happy in his own way

One who is free of any conceit or guile

The contented man finds it easy to smile.

To Be The Best You Can Be

 You can only live to be the best you can be

When at peace with yourself with others you live in harmony

Those with a genuine love of self  have love with others for to share

Whilst the narcissistic sort of their own needs are only aware

Many people look on the accumulation of material possessions and money as the ultimate form of success

Their sort are never that hard to impress

But the good things for others you do says more about you

As a person than the good things for yourself that you choose to do

The most successful people on their  side of the town

Are always helping the financially down

They sow the seeds of good Karma every day

When in the helping of  others they go out of  their way

The most successful people of i do know

They  surely have  in them the bright inner glow.

False Heroes

 Admired as people well worthy of renown

There are false heroes in every town

But they are not what they are made out to be

With people can be deceiving hard to disagree

Masquerading as a likeable character but a pervert and a paedophile

Their sort seduce their young victims through cunning and guile

Sadly their sort not rare they are Worldwide

So many young lives by them mentally destroyed

Sadly some false heroes for their crimes never do pay

In cemeteries their last remains forever lay

By the law of the Land for their crimes never tried

Some of their victims have even committed suicide

False heroes are those who flatter to deceive

Yet some who admire them refuse to believe 

What their victims of them of them have to say

Far too many who disbelieve the stories of abuse victims in the World of today

A false image in public by them displayed

As likeable people they masquerade

Not every false hero does end up in jail

And sadly their victims the law often fail

When They Were Younger

 When they were younger in their physical prime

And this is going back many Seasons in time

They were in love then with time on their side

She was his pregnant and lovely young bride

Her shoulder length hair was wavy and brown

And beautiful blue eyes a rose of the town

Working in a well paying job he was quite happy then

He was one of the town's luckier young men

In their late seventies great grandparents today

Looking much older of them one can say

Separated but sharing their home each with their own bedroom

Their love that used to bloom brightly has lost all of it's bloom

At the weekends with her ageing female friends bridge she does play

Whilst he supports the local footballers on Saturday

And later in the pub in the mood for song

Enjoys the beer and joins in the sing along

Long before time it did become their foe

They were in love many Seasons ago

Nowadays though on speaking terms and sharing a home love between them has died

Love stories such as this are not uncommon Worldwide.

Down On Your Luck

 Of  late for you nothing is going your way

And for you it has been another bad day

Your ex wife and your ten year old daughter with you did not stay

They have started a new life in a town far away

Due to the recent closure of the factory you worked in you are now unemployed

And being on welfare not good for your sense of pride

Many like you out of work on your side of the town

Struggling to make ends meet and financially down

In life there is nothing about for you to smile

And you have not been happy for awhile

Cannot afford for to go to the pub

And do not feel like being part of any community club

Down on your luck and feeling quite sad

Every day for you of late has been bad.

My Wonderment Of Nature

 My wonderment of Nature it only does grow

So little about her of i can claim to know

Yet of her i do learn something new every day

She is quite amazing in truth one can say

Humans like all other life forms to Nature belong

And those who tell you differently i believe have it wrong

Like all other creatures we are born of an act of Nature to eventually die

That we too are mere mortals is not a lie

For our very survival on Nature and Mother Earth we do depend

Yet we do not treat them as our greatest friend

But what we do unto them to our own selves we do

This is how i feel about it whatever about you

We are as much a part of  Nature as the bush or the tree

At least anyway this is how it seems to me.

The Fellow From Sliabh Luachra

 A long way south of the old hills overlooking Rathmore

He may die in this Land of the southern shore

He left Sliabh Luachra a long time ago

Long before time it did become his foe

Growing old without children or a partner or wife

He is one who has led an adventurous life

The Boggeragh Mountains he has not seen for years

And memories of the what used to be no longer move him to tears

Far south of Rathmore, Gneeveguilla and Knocknagree

He last saw the Boggeraghs in nineteen sixty three

When he was in his early twenties near his physical prime

Many Seasons before he became a victim of time

The hair on his balding head is silver grey

He would be a stranger in Sliabh Luachra today

He seems happy no yearning in him for his first homeplace

He always does have a big smile on his face

With a big smile on his face amidst the pub cheer

On a Saturday evening at the local he enjoys his beer

Quite a likeable character of him one can say

The fellow from sliabh Luachra he is happy today.

On Karma

 On Karma i am one who happens to believe

That those who willingly give can expect to receive 

If not in money then on some other way

Acts of kindness and generosity it's own dividend does pay

What goes around comes around life works in this way

Your acts of kindness will bring you happiness one day

The self centered person may be a multi millionaire

But if she or he is unwilling to share

For any future good Karma they are not sowing the seed

Narcissism is closely related to greed

That kindness begets kindness is how it seems to me

But with this there are many who would not agree

The karma good or bad you sow in the future you will receive

This is something that i for one on does believe.

No Sense Of Pride

 Many wombats, koalas, echidnas, frogs, insects and snakes in Australian bushfires die

Those who say that this is not true are those who believe their own lie

These are slow moving life forms and only the lucky few fire survive

And these are the few lucky to be alive

Due to Climate Change fires becoming fiercer and bigger by the year

And due to this some wild species numbers are dwindling which seems sad to read of or hear

With human destruction of natural habitat and a warming environment wildlife are losing out

Human greed and Climate Change two of the main reasons  for the disappearing wildlife does go without doubt

Climate Change and human lust for money on wildlife taking it's toll

In the twenty first century the fierce bushfires of Summer burn out of control 

Burning of fossil fuels causes global Warming and to Climate Change gives rise

And even for humanity the future looks bleak as environmental scientists have come to realize

In last year's big bush fires many life forms died

For us humans in this there is no sense of pride.

Our Happy Memories

 Our happy memories of our younger years

Often does bring us to or close to tears

Good memories of your youth in the town far away

Will remain in you until your dying day

You often think of the first love of your life

The young woman who was not to become your wife

You left her to see the big World out there

When your yearning for to travel took you to elsewhere

As a happily married grandfather you feel life has been good to you

With your beautiful lifetime partner who to you is true

Yet the memories remain of your first hometown

And the old streets you often walked up and down

The football games with your teenage friends in the town park you did play

Some of them as home bodies at home choose to stay

And like you the hair on their balding heads grey

And some of them where the deceased are now lay

And some with happy memories like you of their first hometown far away

And though like you in their homeplace they did not choose to stay

And like you the happy memories today they retain

Of the what used to be for them but will not be again

Wouldn't It Be Great

 Wouldn't it be great if your domestic cat

Concentrated on curtailing the numbers of mouse and rat 

And in other small animals and birds did not prey

But to live as predators is their natural way

Between plentiful and endangered small species of wildlife cats cannot differentiate

Though some people love them and think they are great

I cannot say i like them but do not wish on them ill

For cats are natural predators and born to hunt for to kill

Your favaourite moggy by the fire may purr on your knee

And really is not what you think it to be

Fewer birds in your garden of late for to sing

But to you this should not be a surprising thing

You must be naive not to be aware

That the reason that birds in your backyard have become rare

Is your favourite pet who sees nothing wrong 

In silencing the throat of a bird of song

That cats are not friends of small wildlife is obviously clear

They kill thousands of small endangered species every year

Your purring pet you hold in far too high essteem 

As it is not as harmless to you as it does seem.

Perhaps

 Perhaps i may never more see Millstreet Town

Or again on familiar streets to me walk up and down

A town i was well known in many years ago

Long before time it did become my foe

Where to many of the locals i was well known

Most today there would not recognize me as one of their own

It has been thirty four years since i lived near the Town of Millstreet

And i may never again walk in the fields to where the waterways meet

Perhaps i will never again climb Clara's Hill

Or hear the babble of the Claramore Rill

In Claraghatlea fields winding it's way

To the rivers to the Atlantic Ocean flowing night and day

Perhaps i will never walk in the old fields again

And only the memories with me now remain

Of the what was in the what used to be

Only the memories are living in me.

Of Nature We Learn

Though many of her secrets from human eyes are hidden away

Of Nature we learn something new every day 

Still not one living person who all things of her know

And the more we learn of her the more our wonder of her grow

Even students of Nature with their degrees do readily agree

That there is far more to her than the eyes do see

And those who know most about her have come to realize

That of her they know little this is not a surprise

Those who do love Nature are not of the few

And of her every day to learn there is something new

That she is a great teacher in truth one can say

And of any lesson from her never any money to pay

She is despite what some say the World's number one super power

From a tiny seed she creates a beautiful flower.

In Tough Times

 Financially down and in life doing it tough

And mentally down and feeling not good enough

Out of work due to no fault of his own

He has known of tough times but these are as tough as he has ever known

Out of work for the first time in his life

And forsaken by the young woman who was about to become his wife

Unemployment on his love life has taken it's toll

She would not marry a man on the dole

In his mid twenties in his physical prime

He feels that his luck it will change in time

Hope springs eternal as the wise one does say

A new job start in time for him may not be far away

When his wife to be left him he was reduced to tears

But to get over this it will not take him years

Few go through life withouit some cross to bear

This is something that many of would be aware

Being out of work does nothing for his sense of pride

But for the rest of his life he will not be unemployed

A change in luck for the better he is overdue

He will find a new job and a new love to him who will remain true.

True Beauty

 That physical beauty is only skin deep does seem true to say

Many of the most handsome and attractive  young women and men of today 

Are snobbish and conceited in their own way

But true beauity is never on public display

It is hidden in the soul of the mind

Of people who are compassionate and kind

For other people they genuinely care

And the love that is in them with others they share

Those of true beauty not among the most admired

To be the centre of attention by them not desired

They help anyone of their help in need

And for their future good Karma they sow the good seed

Though never among the admired of the town

They never ignore the financially down.

The Big Company C E O

 An Olympic sized indoor heated swimming pool in his backyard as well as a big leisure boat

For his wife's last Birthday he bought her an expensive mink coat

Those who have plenty money can afford to lavishly spend

And are never known to for to be short of a friend

Of the good things in life he has more than what is a fair share

A big company C E O and a known multi millionaire

Showing off his brand new mercedes he often drives up and down

On the leafy suburbs of the big country town

Any of his exclusive group of friends will never know how it would be

To experience the hunger pains of poverty

Birds of a feather usually flock together as someone wise once did say

In the Human World like the bird World it too is this way

For making people unemployed and saving billions in wages for the big company

He receives millions of dollars in his annual salary

Many have to lose big for him to have a big gain

That in humanity there are far more losers than winners as a truism remain.

The Honourable Fellow

 Loyal to his family and loyal to his wife

The honourable man leads an honourable life

One who does work hard for his every pay

The Human World in need of more like him today

He is not self centered in any way

And of anyone does not have ill words to say

Always willing to help anyone of his help in need

For his future good Karma he sows the good seed

It is only by good example he does lead

Yet few good stories of his sort one does hear of or read

It is known that most of the admired people of every town

Do not have any friends among the financially down

But the honourable fellow few seem to admire

Though to be looked up to by others he feels no desire.

He Is A Positive Fellow

 To the judgmental he is one who is not good enough

But he does hang in there though times on him are tough

For the past six months he is unemployed though due to no fault of his own

And financially of better times he is one who has known

Six months ago the factory he worked in by the receivers closed down

And so many out of work in this high unemployment town

With a wife and young son and daughter to support, clothe and feed

Of a job start he is one who is badly in need

He is one who applies for a job start every day

And he does look at life in a positive way

He believes better times are ahead for himself and his wife

That he will not live on welfare for the rest of his life

He believes his perserverance for him in a job start will pay

He is a positive fellow of him one can say.

Like Helpston's John Clare

 The greatest Nature poet of the English language many claim him to be

Yet he died in Northampton Mental Asylum in dire poverty

A natural poet and his sort are rare

There has not been one since like Helpston's John Clare

He grew to love Nature as a herding boy

And to many lovers of  Nature his poems a source of joy

In death the true test of writers is their  readers in numbers have grown

As a Nature poet Clare does remain in a class of his own

Though in Northampton mental asylum he lived since his physical prime

He was England's greatest Nature poet of his time

He was a brilliant student of Nature of him one can say

His poems are read and enjoyed by people Worldwide today

His memorable poems on birds and animals his legacy to humanity

Written at a time when he was mentally unwell and in great misery

To mention a few of his memorable poems  The Thrush's Nest and The Landrail,

The Badger The Fox and The March Nightingale

As a young man he did have a mental breakdown

But this did not prevent him from attaining his place in literary renown

Helpston the Village of his boyhood widely known due to his fame

And his lives today as a great literary name.

Nature Is Amazing

 Nature is amazing as most would agree

The beauty she creates to view it is free

The beautiful red roses blooming on the rose tree

Are the creation of Nature's creative powers for all for to see

Nature is one who has ways of her own

And so much about her remains as unknown

Even to those who on natural science have a uni degree

Her secrets are many is how it seems to be

Those who believe us humans are superior to Nature have got it all wrong

How can we be superior to the one to whom we belong

Since we are as much a part of Nature as the birds and the bees

As the flowers and the grass or the leaves on the trees

And Nature on our lives has the final say

Since we are born to die life works in this way.

When All Is Said And Done

 The deceased war heroes by billions of patriots admired

And stories, poems and songs of their bravery young warriors have inspired 

To join the Country's armed forces and if war is waged by their government answer the call

In hopes for their bravery their names too will be on a war memorial wall

It is always the foolhardy warriors die brave and young

Whilst the non soldier lives to die old though his praises are never sung

As a great grandfather now at rest with his his deceased wife

Which is the better to die as a war hero or to live a long life

Brave young men who die in war remembered in every street war parade

And from war history their names are not allowed for to fade

But the wise one did not join the army he chose life instead

And left the hero worship to the young warrior dead

War heroes are honoured and remembered and battles are lost and won

But life is all that does matter when all is said and done.

A February Morning In Claramore Wood

 From overnight frost the fields looking grey

In Claramore wood birds are not singing today

They do remain silent all through February

Too early for them to defend a nesting territory

The cattle in farmyard sheds bellowing for silage or hay

Their first taste of young grass at least six weks away

Though Winter close to an end and Spring it is near

February in Duhallow is a cold and wet time of year

The morning is cold just above zero degrees

And the hungry rooks cawing on bare deciduous trees

The redwing thrushes will soon be flying north for the Spring

The workings of Nature quite an amazing thing

In Claramore wood on the higher ground

No bird chirp or sing the silence is profound

And above the high fields the chill winds do blow

On a morning that is cold enough for to snow.

Betrayal Of Trust

 Out of good friendships enemies can be made

This is what often happens when trust is betrayed

That once friends become enemies happens Worldwide every day

Friends for life are rare in truth one can say

Money in several friendships often plays a part

As well as quite often affairs of the heart

When trust is betrayed bitterness does set in

And where bitterness is love cannot win

Love and money and property disputes are at least three one can blame

For loss of friendship though other things too one can name

And loss of friendship mostly begin with betrayal of trust

But then not everyone in their ways are honourable and just

Friendships are won and lost every day

Humanity it does seem does work in this way.

Kind People

 To kindness there is not a nationality or race or creed

And of more kind people the Human World is in need

Since kind people perform good deeds every day

And to help people often go out of their way

To help those in need of helping always willingly inclined

They do have a great gift people who are kind

They help others without expecting the rewards of pay

The World better for them in it in truth one can say

For public attention with others they never compete

Kind people are always a pleasure to meet

Their own praises you never do hear them sing

To be helpful to others in life is their thing

They may live their lives as strangers to even local renown

But kind people are a great asset to their side of the town.

Willy Wagtails

 Willy wagtails or black and white fantails never cease to surprise

They are quite aggressive birds for their size

In their territory they mob the much bigger magpies and sometimes succeed in driving them away

They are rather brave of them one can say

Also known as Australian nightingales since they sometimes can be heard singing at night

Not that shy of humans they allow you get close to them before taking to flight

With their long black tails ever wagging perhaps from the grass to flush out insect prey

They are birds one does see in backyards every day

Birds of the countryside as well as the parks of the town

From a challenge they are birds that would never back down

In cup shaped nest of grass on branch of tree

The female lay pale brown dotted eggs of two or three

Against other species their territories they do defend

And at breeding time do not even treat their own kind as a friend.

For His Lack Of

 For his lack of success and money and fame

He says that he only has himself to blame

He says he has had his chances and he left them go by

Yet he is honest with his feelings none of him can deny

He does not have any children he knows of or a partner or a wife

Though as a younger man many women came to and went from his life

In the years when he was working for good pay with plenty money to spend

He was never short then of a female friend

But going back the Seasons this was long ago

Long before time it did become his foe

In his early eighties in a one bedroom flat he lives on his own today

One who is showing his age the hair on his balding head is silver grey

He is down to earth in his own self effacing way

Quite an honourable fellow of him one can say

He says of my life's opportunities i did not avail

And society does see me as one who did fail.

To The Winners The Glory

 In all things in life as in a game of football

There is always only one winner after all 

We all cannot be winners in truth one can say

And the winners the majority of people admire

And of singing their praises never seem to tire

It is never easy for to lose with grace

And despite disappointment have a smile on your face

There are more losers than winners in the World every day

Suppose humanity is meant to work in this way

If we all could be winners how great this would be

But this is not the  ways of humanity

Though we all cannot be winners in truth one can say

The winner of the future may be the loser of today

In all things in life it is always the same

To the winners the glory and most of the fame.

For To Quarrel About

 You ought to live for as long as you possibly can

If you are poor you do not need an end of life plan

For you will not be leaving anything behind you for your relatives to quarrel about

That money and property can create problems does go without doubt

The praises of wealthy people many may sing

But the distribution of a deceased wealthy person's property and money with them bad feelings can bring

And often do end up in a court of law

And between the deceased one's family for years leave feelings that are bitter and raw

The poor person who dies as a stranger to fame

Without any money or property to her or his name

Of an end of life plan is not in need

And in some ways one can say are lucky indeed

For the distribution of money and property can cause problems no doubt

And they do not leave anything for to quarrel about.

Grey Butcherbirds

 Birds of temperate woodlands of mostly dark brown and grey

People who live near woods where they reside see and hear them every day

Once seen and once heard you never again get them wrong

They do have a beautiful bubbling sort of song

With slight hook on the tip of their sharp pointed bill

They hang on spikes and on thorns small animals and birds to eat they do kill

One of the reasons they are known as grey butcherbirds by name

Most species of butcherbirds in some ways are the same

On fork of tree in untidy cup nest of twigs lined with grass the female bird lay

Three to five green pink dotted eggs and their territory they defend aggressively every day

In their breeding Season humans in their territory they will even attack

It can be said of them of courage they are not in lack

They are quite distinctive in appearance and song

And once seen and once heard you never again get them wrong.

A Warm February Day In The Moyne Shire

 The weather temperature is close to forty degrees

And warmth in the sunshine and warmth in the breeze

That blow up the hill from the nearby bay

On what is for the Moyne Shire a warm February day

The magpies are warbling on the sunlit trees

And the warm air is full of the buzzing of bush flies and bees

The cattle chewing their cuds in the shade of the trees lay

In very warm weather out of the full sun they do like to stay

White butterflies seemingly dancing in the sky

And in pursuit of flying insects chirping as they fly

Above the paddocks with the sun on their dark wings chasing bees and flies

Welcome swallows fly all day long to sundown from sunrise

For the coastal Moyne Shire a very warm February day

But by the weather forecast some cool days on the way.

Only One Dan The Man

 Dan Donoghue of  Millstreet Town's Tanyard better known as Dan The Man

A nickname that he does retain since his youthful years going back in time quite a span

A nickname he was well worthy of since in his prime he could do the work of two

A big and strong yet a kind fellow if you needed help he would help you

With Connie Coakley and Barney a manhole builder for Tom Curtin going back many years ago

That was in the mid nineteen seventies before time became his foe

Dan The Man was in his prime then and by many admired and known

With the best of  Duhallow's physical workmen he could surely hold his own

As a young man a sterling defender for Millstreet in Gaelic Football

One fearless and hard on the tackle as opposing forwards of him do recall

And after the game in the pub win or lose with his mates he did celebrate

But everything in our human existence on it does have a use by date

As an owner and breeder of coursing greyhounds far beyond Duhallow known far and wide

His greyhounds coursing successes to many Millstreet people a sense of pride

Sad to think for many Seasons he has spent his days in a wheelchair

But one thing you won't hear Dan say that life to him has been unfair

A down to earth likeable fellow never see him in a collar and tie

If i were to say any different then i would be telling a lie

He is one of those rare people who can withstand physical pain

If he is not having a good day you will not hear him complain

In life he has not been lucky he has had a huge cross for to bear

But men like him are worth admiring as his sort in the World are rare

He lives in the Tanyard in Millstreet where his journey in life began

In Millstreet Town a living legend there is only one Dan The Man.