John Agnostic

 Those who know him nickname him John Agnostic to a god he does not pray

When people ask him is there a god he says this is not for me to say

And when asked of the after life of limbo or of heaven or of  hell

He says any deceased person i have known to me of those places have not come back to tell

John Agnostic in his dealings with others is as honest as can be

Any of his human imperfections does not include dishonesty

He says atheists do not believe in god on this i do not agree

On the existence of a god us agnostics are quite different and we see it differently

If somebody to John gives proof of god's existence he is open to believe

But like the true agnostic he is a hard one to deceive

Though those who believe in god's existence in his words not one to mock

He would need proof of their belief before he would join their flock

The claims of atheists and believers he treats as the same

John Agnostic is a fellow who lives up to his nickname.

Jacky Winter

 With white stripes above the eyebrows and mostly brown and grey

Jacky Winter sings peter peter in the woodland all the day

Whilst in fork of dead branch the female in small cup grass nest sits on the two pale brown dotted eggs she did lay

Quite unlike her vocal partner she has nothing for to say

In the Spring and in the Summer jacky winter one does hear

Singing his song peter peter his most vocal time of year

He sings with a lot of  volume for a fellow of his size

One of Nature's feathered minstrels who never cease to surprise

To some referred to as the brown flycatcher but as jacky winter better known

Quite a cocky individual who does have ways of his own

For to devour small flying insects from the perch he sings on he fly

Even whilst singing on the lookout for a snack flying nearby

Jacky Winter in the woodland singing his familiar song

Peter peter once you hear him you will never again get him wrong.

The Great Gift Of Memory

 Though some memories of your sadder times to you it does bring

The great gift of memory is such a wonderful thing

As it brings back the memories to you of happier days

And in your mentally down times to your spirits give a raise

One can only feel for those who have lost their gift of memory

How sad for them and their families this has to be

They have lost one of the great gifts any human beings does possess

And with it has lost the human feelings of recognition, sadness and happiness 

Sadly those with loss of memory of the needs of the self  and their surroundings become unaware

Worldwide the victims of alzheimers and dementia are no longer rare

One of Nature's great gifts to humanity

The wonderful gift of memory

Our moments of sadness and happiness to us it does bring

As a gift from Nature quite a marvellous thing.

The Kindest Person

 He loves his children and he loves his wife

The man who is happy with his lot in life

But some of those who know him of him does say

That he is a strange one in his own way

Since he does not play or watch sports on a Saturday

Instead with his children in the park games he does play

And he never goes to the local pub for a beer

For to enjoy the barroom banter and cheer

And apart from never going to the pub

He is not a member of any community club

But the frail ageing widow next door of him does say

That he often helps her and for doing so never accepts pay

And that  they are so small minded those who verbally put him down

Since he is the kindest person in the town.

Nature And Mother Earth

 So little of Nature i can claim of to know

Though i can tell apart a currawong from a crow

Nature too is our teacher in truth one can say

And we learn as we live something new every day

In their writing students of Nature knowledge of her to us does bring

But of Nature not one living person who knows everything

Some things about Nature remain as unknown

And she is one who does have ways of her own

Everyone who loves Nature is a friend to Mother Earth too

Those who harm Mother Earth to Nature harm also do

The beauty in Mother Earth  Nature helps to create

They complement each other and are individually great

Nature and Mother Earth their wonders are many and their secrets not few

Of them this is not saying any thing that is new.

On Nature

 The natural beauty in Nature to view always monetary free

And every day in her some new wonder to see

To humans so much about her remains to be known

She surely is one who has ways of her own

Nature remains the World's greatest power

From a tiny seed she can create a beautiful flower

In her angry moods death and destruction she create

At her worst she is destructive and at her best she is great

In her peaceful times such joy to so many she happens to bring

And people who love her her praises do sing

Yet the more we learn of her the more we realize

That of her we know little this not a surprise

She is quite amazing of her one can say

And for her beauty to view we do not have to pay.

Their Own Praises

 Their own praises so many do love to sing

In the twenty first century it is an in thing

And though of more of their sort humanity is in need

The humble of mind have become a rare breed

A wise saying from the past that is relevant to today

Self praise is no praise remains true to say

Yet it is not saying anything that is new

That the humble of mind of the World are few

Of their own needs so many only seem aware

The narcissists of the Human World are no longer rare

For this thing known as success so many people compete

The down to earth sort are becoming harder to meet

Yet one fact of human life with us remain

That many must lose for a few for to gain.

Pay No Heed To The words

 Pay no heed to the words negative people of you do say

To you they are not being helpful in a verbal way

They do not bring you hope when you are feeling down

And sadly no shortage of their sort on your side of the town

Not knowing of their appraisals of you would be better for you no doubt

In your life of their sort you would be better off without

You are not the only one on your side of the town

That in their words they enjoy putting down

The negative judgmental they are everywhere

There are many of them in the World out there

Any nice things of others too hard for them to say

Suppose they are who they are in their own negative way

To what they have to say of you why pay any heed

Uncalled for negative words of you are something you do not need.

Pied Currawong

 Black with some white on wings and tails about the size of a crow

And yellow eyes most people of them do know

In forested regions of south eastern Australia they are not rare

Their loud currawong calls makes one of their presence unaware

Pied currawong are birds that to many are known

Some of them wary of humans and with ways of their own

They rob the nests and kill the young of small birds and kind things few of them do say

And eat fruit and small life forms hunt and kill for prey

The female bird builds flat nest of sticks lined with soft material on high branch of tree

And lay pink spotted brown eggs of one to three

Quite distinctive from all other birds in their way

In most forested regions of south eastern Australia they are seen every day

Their common name comes from their familiar song

Once seen and once heard one can never again get them wrong.

On Land Ownership

 Those who lay claim to Land ownership have got it all wrong

For how can they own to what to they belong?

To the Earth that does feed us we return to one day

And we become part of what we thought we owned life works in this way

Our claim to Land ownership is in a so called paper deed

But we are like the trees that grew from a tiny seed

That fall to human operated chain saw or gale force wind or of old age it is not a lie

Like all living things us humans are mortals and are born to die

And whether our remains are buried to decay or spread as ashes from an urn

To the Earth that does own us one day we will return

And the Land we claimed was ours is owned by someone else by a paper deed of law

And who does own who your own conclusion on this do draw

Those who boast of Land ownership have got it all wrong

For how can they own to what to they belong?

The Unpaid Ego Boosters

 I have never spent one hour of my life in jail

But society looks on me as one who did fail

Like all who do lack in financial success

Our unpaid judges we do fail to impress

For some it is not a nice World to live in

Where many must lose for others to win

In a fair Human World it would not be this way

But in humanity nothing is fair only true for to say

Ego boosters are many they are everywhere

There are billions of them in the World out there

Making heroines and heroes of sports people and entertainers and every billionaire

The easy to impress admirers sad to say are not rare

They never make heroines or heroes of the best people of every town

Who out of the goodness of their hearts help the financially down

For to help to create a better World to live in for all they only aspire

Are they not the people we ought to admire?

Nothing fair for many about living in the Human World of today

Utopia from Planet Earth does seem far away

The unpaid ego boosters every day more big egos create

When the egotistical self centered they celebrate.

In This Twenty First Century

 In this twenty first century Human World few angels do dwell

This is something that many of  would know all too well

For the recognition of the impressionable majority in most there is a need

Hence the increase Worldwide of narcissism and greed

A World where so few people with themselves do seem at peace

From the great needs of the self we do need a release

There must be more to life than living for the me, myself and i

The so called egalatarian Human World  is based on a lie

In this age of advanced technology where promotion of self is an in thing

So many their own praises only too willing to sing

Far too much of the needs of the self in the Human World of today

And this seems a sad thing for to have to say

Far more of the kind and the compassionate and generous the Human World of is in need

Since of a better World to live in they do plant the seed.

In Spring In Duhallow

 In Spring in Duhallow a nice time of year

The songs of the nesting birds so pleasant to hear

The Boggeragh Mountains on most days of low fog are clear

And each dawn brings the warmer days of Summer near

The voice of the cuckoo can be heard in May

And the swallows are home to breed from Lands far away

The fields green and resplendent in their Nature's flowers

That bloomed to life in the cool April showers

Cloaked in their white blossoms the hawthorn trees are a beautiful sight

They seem to sparkle after a Spring shower with droplets of rain on them in the sunlight

And the breeding mute swans of feathers white as snow

Swimming in the river pools of the Blackwater their reflections do show

Earthly Utopia is near to Duhallow in Spring

When in the leafy groves the nesting birds sing

And the cattle on nutritious young grass after months of living on silage and hay

Looking quite contented and gaining weight by the day.

Theirs Used To Be

 Theirs used to be an affair of the heart

But love between them has died they have drifted apart

When they meet on the street they have nothing to say

From each other their faces they turn and look the other way

Where love did bloom bitterness reign today

This is the price for love that some have to pay

Former young lovers from the same street of the town

Each by the other feel they have been left down

The strong feelings of love for each other has gone

Only the anger between them lives on

Love that brought them laughter ended for them in tears

And the bitterness between them may linger for years

Loves that last a lifetime to say the least few

And this is not saying anything that is new.

On The Death Of Patrick Goggin Aged Seven

 The deaths of children in war has never been rare

And that war has few happy stories most of are aware

The shooting which resulted in the death of Patrick Goggin in a field at Ballinagree

Just another tragic story of war now part of history

A seven year old boy by the Black and Tan occupying forces perhaps mistaken for a member of the I R A

For being young and having fun such a price the young fellow had to pay

The Black and Tans for his death of course mostly to blame

But in the death of a child they too would have realized that for them not any honour or fame

That there is a heaven for the souls of war innocents seems not hard to believe

His broken hearted mother and father for him left to grieve

Robbed of the chance of  fathering children or of having a wife

At a young age cruelly robbed of his gift of life

Even in the twenty first century children are dying in war zones of the World every day

For the conflict of adults young innocents with their lives should not have to pay

This is war's collateral damage war men may say

But this does not make the death of innocent children in any way as okay

Ireland's enemy in the war of independence is no longer the foe

And since young Patrick Goggin was shot in Ballinagree a century ago

A lot of young children in war have died since then

And have been deprived of the chance of growing into young women and men.

She Will Be Missed

 Curly dark hair and eyes of chestnut brown

The dark skinned young woman the loveliest in the town

Tall and graceful and built like an athlete

Though not into sport quite nimble on her feet

So down to earth one who is free of guile

She greets everyone with a warm and friendly smile

In her early twenties near her physical prime

One young and carefree on the right side of time

From a town up north in kilometres far away

In this southern town not here for the long stay

A few local young men would love her for a partner or wife

But she is one with other plans in her life

Soon she will be heading home up the highway

And she will be missed in the town by the bay.

White Winged Choughs

 Black birds of average size with slightly curved bills  and red eyes

Distinctive in their appearance and their distinctive calls and cries

In a cup shaped mud nest the breeding female two to five brown dotted eggs lay

And the whole family on raising the young a part does play

The white primary feathers when they are on the ground and perched on branches hidden from the eye

But becomes quite visible as they do fly

They find their food on insects when they are on the ground

And they can be quite noisy whilst slowly walking around

That white winged choughs sometimes steal a young male from their neighbours among ornithologists is widely known

Nature for keeping the breeding of wild species pure has ways of her own

The stolen male with the breeding female is the only one who is allowed for to mate

On this way purity of breed they do create

White winged choughs have a patchy distribution they are not to be seen Nationwide

In south eastern Australia only in certain woods they do reside

They are family oriented birds of them one can say

And are quite interesting in their own way.

There Is Only One Chuck Feeney

 In democratic Countries why do people on election day

Vote into power people who never worked for an honest pay

In a World where the working poor only know of poverty

The gap between the wealthy and poor is widening how sad this seems to be

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

And losing is a thing that anyone does not choose

They are of the few the philanthropic billionaire

The Chuck Feeneys of the World to say the least are rare

To worthy causes he gave his vast fortune in money away

If every billionaire in the World were only like him today

The Human World of poverty it would be free

What a huge win this would be for all of humanity

But that there is only one Chuck Feeney happens to be true

And he never receives the respect and admiration he is due.

I Never Tell Others

 I never tell others that i write reams of rhyme

As most of them would say this is a waste of time

Since for doing it i never receive any money in pay

What i enjoy doing is no business of others in any way

Others i never feel out to impress

And of writing rhyme i have never known of monetary success

A hobby to most people to them does not count

The accumulation of money to success only amount

I do not like the Human World today i live in

Where those who accumulate the most money of most people respect does win

Makes people like me feel as failures is how it seems to be

It is based on a lie any talk of human equality

Writing rhymes to other people i never talk about

As their sneers of derision i can live without.

It Can Be A Relative Thing

 It can be a relative thing would you not agree

The one successful to you may not be so to me

Though most view success in a materialistic way

That most is not everyone in truth one can say

Wealthy celebrities and famous people many admire

And of singing their praises never seem to tire

But as is often the case the best people in every town

Do live as even strangers to local renown

The people in life who sow Karma's good seed

By helping those of help who are in need

Though the impressionable majority they never impress

To those doing it tough in life they bring some happiness

The praises of the egotistical self centered the majority may sing

But success it can be a relative thing.

The Lyrebirds Of Sherbrooke

 On their cleared mounds the amazing lyre shaped tails above their backs in a territorial display

In Sherbrooke forest the male superb lyrebirds are singing today

They sing all Winter from the early Fall

Renowned in the Birdworld as the greatest mimics of all

In their song they incorporate the sound of animals and the noise of machinery and the songs of other birds living near

The songs of the male lyrebirds are quite amazing to hear

In the raising of the sole chick any part the males never play

During their breeding Season on their territorial mound they sing every day

A grey and brown bird about the size of a pheasant they are loved and widely known

For their amazing mimicry and songs they are in a class of their own

Those who have heard a lyrebird singing the memory of it retain

For to enjoy when they visit their memories again

How pleasant in Sherbrooks on a chilly wintery day

To hear a male lyrebird singing on his mound in a territorial display.

An Addictive Thing

 Though to those who have it fame and fortune it never does bring

Rhyming to some is an addictive thing

An addiction in them that is destined to stay

For as long as they live until their last night and day

There are addictive rhymers in every town

Who live in their daydreams of literary renown 

But daydreams are just this and seldom come true

And literary renown in life is not their due

Though most rhymers eventually come to realize

That to expect fame and fortune from writing rhymes on their behalf is not wise

But their addiction to rhyming they do retain

And for as long as they live in them it will remain

Of addictive rhymers far more than a few

And this is not saying anything that is new.

Long Billed Corellas

 Long billed corellas white parrots of the cockatoo family

With long thin hooked upper bill overlapping their  lower bill one often them see

Digging for roots and seeds in flocks on the ground

Within their range in large numbers they abound

With some red around face as well as on breast

In areas of grain crops and fruit trees they can become a pest

As well they can damage parks and sport fields in many a town

The reason the government allow culling to keep their numbers down

Old growth trees with cavities to lay their one to four white eggs in the female corellas need

And due to a shortage of these some of them cannot breed

It is said twenty years is their life's expectancy

In their range everyday they are birds one does see

With their long thin hooked bills digging for bulbs and seeds on the ground

And in large noisy flocks they always abound.

Only Memories Of What Was

 Only memories of what was today i retain

I may never climb on old Clara again

And on it's bracken slopes stand gazing down

On the green countryside and the houses of Millstreet Town

It was my yearn for travel that lured me away

From where i first looked on the bright lamp of day 

Claraghatlea just west of the Town of Millstreet

Near the rushy old fields where the waterways meet

In every migrant the past lives as a memory

Of the what was but never more will be

From living life experiences become our gain

And only the memories of what was with us remain

At midnight the past it will be today

And the now is all that does matter as the wise one does say.

No I Cannot Tell You

 No i cannot tell you i have been there and done that

Though i have worked in pipeline crews in Buninyong near Ballarat

And i have worked on electrical power vehicles above electric powerlines trimming tall trees

A dangerous job that did not entail uni degrees

Long before time did become my foe

In woods i have felled trees going back decades ago

And i have worked in building sites jackhammering all day

Hard physical work that was not matched by pay

I worked in farms as a young man from here far away

And picked potatoes paid by the bag for farmers in May

And nowadays with rhyming words i just love to play

This is nothing to boast of in truth one can say

Going into old age with little money or fame

But despite lack of achievement happy just the same.

Laughter

 Laughter is an antidote to worry and sadness in truth one can say

And lucky the person who can laugh every day

She or he has happiness with others to share

Though the happy go lucky are becoming rare

They carry joy with them and share it around

And wherever they are happiness does abound

Those known for their laughter have a great gift indeed

Of joy in the World they are sowing the seed

Laughter it is such an uplifting sound

A gift that in many is not to be found

They are lucky people those who laugh easily

They always seem happy and of any cares free

Since laughter keeps worry and sadness at bay

And so lucky are they who do laugh every day.

Long Even Before

 Long even before the first people to it came

The countryside now known as the Moyne Shire was without a name

And the waterway now known as the Moyne to the ocean did flow

How old is this Country would anyone know?

This Country that has inspired the artists and the makers of  story, song and rhyme

Was so very old even in the dinosaur time

It's true written history will never be told

This far southern Country in time is very old

It was there long before the arrival of the people who played the didgeridoo

And long before the birth of the first kangaroo

About it we learn something new every day

We never stop learning in truth one can say

The one who would even guess the age of this Country would be telling a lie

It was there long before the first human was born and will be there long after the last human will die.

Like For Every Bird

 Like for every bird there is a last song to sing

For everyone there is a final Spring

We are born into life to eventually die

The same for the billionaire as you and i

The paupers and those of great wealth and fame

The Reaper of lives does treat as the same

And the longest lived human life is not that long in real time

People age rather fast beyond their physical prime

In some cases alzheimers and dementia attack the ageing brain

And sadly some people their gift of memory they do not retain

To the point that even their nearest and dearest they do not recognize

In life there is joy and sadness from the mouths of the wise

We age rather quickly and time ticks on fast

And at the stroke of midnight today will be of the past.

The Arrival Of Cook

 Life for Australia's first people changed forever more

The day Cook and his sailors arrived on the southern shore

Their ancestors had lived in Australia for thousands of years

And little realized that the arrival of strangers would bring them suffering death and tears

Cook's arrival in Australia many may celebrate

But the dispossession and deaths of many of Australia's first people his arrival did instigate

Australia's white history has a tainted pride

So many of it's first people in massacres have died

Their children taken from them they were treated bad

And even today that they are not treated by some as equal does seem rather sad

Even some of them are dying in police custody today

And this seems a sad thing for to have to say

Thousands of years living in Australia their history does trace

And they will always remain as Australia's first race.

Live And Let Live

Live and let live as the wise one does say

And never offend anyone in any sort of a way 

Pay to all others the respect they are due

And to your higher self try to remain true

For your good Karma do sow the good seed

By helping anyone of your helping in need

For your kindness to others Karma you will repay

What goes around comes around life works in this way

Some dishonest people do know of financial success

And in so doing the gullible seem to impress

But those by deception who does deceive

The fruits of what they sow they will eventually receive

To your higher self try to live true

And treat others as you would like them to treat you.

Narcissists

 Narcissism is not too much love of self it is self love gone wrong

And to any form of love it does not belong

It is extreme self infatuation and little else more

Narcissists only think of their own needs and the needs of others ignore

It is something most people of would be aware

That the narcissists of the World are no longer rare

But some narcissists are known to achieve great success

Some people are not very hard to impress

It does seem a sad thing to think of or say

That there are many narcissistic government leaders in the World of today

They become dictatorial obsessed with power

Like the weeds of the garden they stifle every flower

Narcissists are people who are extremely self obsessed

And sadly by them many do seem impressed.

Frank Lowell

 An octogenarian he was a good soul

Koroit has farewelled the likeable Frank Lowell

Pre-deceased by a year by Mary his wife

In Malta he inhaled his first breath of life

In the Moyne Shire a well known and a well liked man

Of time in the World his was a lengthy span

A well educated person quite humorous and kind

He was one of those of a beautiful mind

The charming Frank Lowell was a down to earth bloke

He was one who could laugh at and tell a good joke

The accent he brought with him from Malta far away

Until he breated his last breath in him did stay

Life has an ending as some like to say

The likeable Frank Lowell has lived his last day.

In Mushera Today

 Young lambs on the high fields around their mothers play

And the nesting birds they are singing in Mushera today

The wood pigeons cooing on the spruce and pine trees

On a pleasant April morning of around eighteen degrees

Mushera the old hill above Millstreet Town

On the green countryside as ever looking down

On the narrow and high Butter Road such splendid scenery

Of the undulating country-side far as the eyes can see

When the lark from the heather flies upwards to sing

Mushera is a beautiful place in the Spring

Going back the centuries before the first people to it came

It was an old place that did not have a name

Mushera where Duhallow and Muskerry meet

In the high countryside above the Town of Millstreet

The wild nesting birds they are singing today

In the high woodlands from here far away.

Enjoy Life Whilst You Can

Forgeet about dying and your end of life plan

Just try to enjoy the remainder of your time span

The wealthiest man in the town in the cemetery lay

And his family are squabbling over his vast fortune today

In life one not known to be generous and kind

Never appeared to be happy did not know peace of mind

This time last year he died of a heart attack suddenly

Death treats as equal the billionaire and the one in poverty

No better off now than those who died without a penny to their name

Without any warning death to him came

In his early fifties far from an old man

He died without making a will or having an end of life plan

His family in a court case for the carve up of his estate

Enjoy life whilst you can before it is too late.

Michael D

 Michael D Higgins the President of Ireland is not handsome young and tall

He is a grey haired balding octogenarian physically small

But the Irish voters re-elected him as president in a landslide

Perhaps the reason for this is he has humor on his side

For a President he does not take himself too seriously

Such a witty and charming person the likeable Michael D

He has already served ten years of a fourteen year Presidental spell

On choosing him for their President the Irish voters chose well

Of the Labour Party he was a Minister in the Irish Government for quite a while

As a politician Michael D was honest and free of conceit or guile

For the President of a Country quite likeable and approachable which is a refreshing thing

Not surprising that many people in Ireland his praises do sing

Since being elected President his popularity in Ireland by the day has grown

The intelligent, witty and likeable Michael D is in a class of his own.

You Gave It Your Best Try

 You gave it your best try but you were not good enough

And losing at any time on one's feelings can be tough 

But you were quite gracious and sporting in defeat

And admitted by one better that you were beat

The will  to do better in you is within

And the next time you may be the one who does win

And though winning is what everybody does choose

Feel proud of your effort although you did lose

Though naturally disappointed you retained a big smile on your face

And only the noblest do lose with grace

There are far more losers than winners in the World every day

Humanity is designed for to work in this way

But you are a person with hope who keeps faith

And everything does come to those who do wait.

Hypocritical

 One wonders why the clergy bless the troops for war

Before they leave to shoot to kill others in Land afar

In most Worldwide religions it is seen as okay

That Moses Fifth Commandment is not wrong to disobey

Though many with this bound to disagree

In religion there can be so much hypocrisy

Taking of human life is murder but in war is okay

This does seem quite hypocritical one does have to say

The killing by troops in war is seen as a good thing

And even the clergy in their homeland their praises do sing

This all does seem quite hypocritical to me

Though with my thinking on this most would disagree

Moses Fifth Commandment war soldiers can disobey

For to shoot to kill the enemy is seen as okay.

The Greatest Gift

 In every disagreement there is wrong and right

And life is the only thing worth  to for to  fight

Live for as long as you can live

And any wrongs forgivable against you by all means forgive

And though money is the god of the majority in the Human World of today

Many people to their unseen god do regularly pray

But suppose blessed are they without seeing who do believe

At least they are not of the hard to deceive

The words of the wise are worthy of recall

That to human beings life is the greatest gift of them all

Behind a hearse carrying a wealthy deceased person to a cemetery

A trailer attached is something you never see

That money is quite important why otherwise pretend

And to people Worldwide it is their greatest friend

But far greater than money or any other form of success

Life is the greatest gift anyone can possess.

A Fellow From Millstreet

 Far south of my first homeplace near Millstreet Town

On many a street i have walked up and down

But many have seen more of the World than me

And a fellow from Millstreet is the best i can be

The stay at home people are happy today

They never feel the desire to live in places far away

They will live out their lives where they are loved and known

Where other locals accept them as one of their own 

The happy at home people at home happy to stay

They have never left their hometown even for a holiday

Whilst the migrants in the pubs songs of their Homeland do sing

Suppose happiness can be a relative thing

Whatever we achieve in life we are born to mortality

And a fellow from Millstreet is the best i can be.

They Call Themselves Hunters

 They call themselves hunters their way of having fun

Is to hunt and shoot to death wild animals and leave them to rot in the sun

Whilst millions of people are homeless and hungry in Countries Worldwide

Some men do have in them a false sense of pride

At their local pub on Sunday evening to themselves they do drink a toast

And of their weekend kills they feel happy to boast

But they never mention they leave their kills to rot on the ground where they lay

Whilst the hungry grow hungrier in the World of today

On their Sunday evening get together in the pub their main topics hunting and football

As if little else in life does matter at all

Some men as they grow older do not grow wise

What it takes to be a real man they do not seem to realize

In the local pub on a Sunday evening they talk and laugh loud

And of their weekend kill count do feel rather proud.

Driver And Co-Driver

 On a balmy evening for April quite a beautiful day

A policeman patrolling in his patrol car on the Cobden-Warrnambool Roadway

Ahead of him near Laang a red station wagon travelling slowly came into his view

Just another relaxed driver to the cop nothing new

But as he drew nearer to the station wagon to his surprise he did see 

That the driver had a bird perched on his left shoulder he thought this cannot be

A bird as a co-driver i find it hard to believe

Am i having a mental breakdown or do my eyes deceive

To check this one out the policeman did decide

He put on his patrol siren and waved to the car driver to stop at the roadside

he asked John the car driver for his name and address

Having a bird on your shoulder when driving has you in a lawful mess

As for the pink and grey bird on your shoulder what is it's claim to fame

And the parrot said i am a galah and Wonky is my name

She said for a policeman you are quite stupid as well as being rude

Since it is obvious on John's driving capabilities i do not intrude

To the upholder of the law this came as a huge surprise

To book John for careless driving would not be a good idea he came to realize

To John and to Wonky with a wave he did say

Goodbye and good luck and enjoy the rest of your day

As the policeman drove his patrol car to the police station at Warrnambool

He said to himself that bird made me look a fool

Of my experience today anyone i dare not tell

As they would come to the conclusion that i am not mentally well.

April In Duhallow

 In her nest of sticks she sits on her brown dotted blue eggs the silver backed crow

High on a beech tree near where the Blackwater River flow

A cool April wind from the Boggeraghs blow

And a male pheasant is cucking where the rank rushes grow

Wildflowers in the fields and warmer days near

April in Duhallow is a nice time of year

To many a familiar voice of the Spring

On a silver birch tree a male chaffinch sing

Above the old fields chasing flying insects all day

The swallows back home from Lands far away

With nests for to build and eggs for to lay

They will have young nestlings to care for in May

A small species of corvid of humans not that shy

The jackdaws to chimneys with sticks for their nests fly

Because they block their chimneys some home owners with them not impressed

They look on the black and grey birds as a pest

Cattle out of wintering sheds from months of eating silage and hay

On nutritious young grass gaining weight by the day

Near where the Blackwater River swollen by many a river and rill

Babbles it's way through Duhallow it's dark tongue never still.

Their Likes And Dislikes

 People have their likes and dislikes one does have to suppose

One person's weed is another one's rose

A familiar old saying from the long ago

Sayings are just sayings happens for to be so

No two people in the World that one could name

Who in every way think exactly the same

Through different eyes difference we does see

Sameness can be boring would you not agree

We learn as we live something new every day

This is how human life works it has always been this way

We all look at things in our ways differently

What is interesting to you may not be so to me

It is said that from life we receive what is only our due

But many will tell you that this is not true.

On The Passing Of Prince Philip

 In the living flesh never more to be seen

Prince Philip the long term husband of Elizabeth the Queen

Of Britain, Northern Ireland and British Commonwealth Countries in numbers dwindling fast

In what was a great Empire of the past

That Philip had many admirers does go without doubt

But i for one cannot see what all the fuss is about

For one who had died at the great age of ninety nine years

Yet at his passing so many royal watchers shed tears

Husband of Elizabeth the Monarch of  Britain for seventy years of his life

Quite a long time for two people to live as man and wife

That he was a great person his admirers agree

Though he did not seem anywhere near to great to me

So many great people far too many to name

Far greater than Philip ever was who died as strangers to wealth and fame

People who lived at the wrong end of the social divide

The unsung of the cemeteries of Countries Worldwide

So many good things of him written and said

Farewell to Prince Philip he is now of the dead

To his admirers his passing a huge loss to humanity

But to say the least i see it quite differently.

With Low Self Esteem

 He is one of those people who struggles with self doubt

And the tribulations of living he knows all about

Lacking in self confidence yet kind in his way

An ill word of anyone he never has to say

But mentally on himself he is quite tough

As he feels he is one who is not good enough

He feels he does lack in material success

Though others he never does wish to impress

One of the kind and compassionate people on his side of the town

He never ignores the financially down

Always helping people of helping in need

For his future good Karma he sows the good seed

Yet none of us perfect is how it does seem 

He is one who struggles with low self esteem.

A Warm April Day

 Earthly Utopia cannot be far away

From the coastal Moyne Shire on this beautiful day

For April quite warm over thirty degrees

With only the slightest of a warm coastal breeze

That gently stir the leaves of the tall sunlit trees

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

Wherever i turn to look beauty i see

Nature at her finest is all around me

Such beautiful weather for the time of year

Who would believe the calendar Winter is near

With the sun on their dark wings chirping as they fly

The swallows chasing flying insects in the blue and grey sky

And the paddocks looking quite green after the recent rain

With such beautiful weather how could one complain.

A Rabbit Needing Glasses

 There may be some truth in that eating carrots is good for the eyes

Though to laughs of derision this well may give rise

Most will tell you that carrots in stew add to the culinary delight

But rabbits enjoy eating raw carrots and they do have good sight

A rabbit needing glasses one never does see

When you come into their view into the safety of their burrows they flee

They prefer eating carrots to grass and one has to agree

That the poor sighted rabbit is not myxomatosis free

You will never see rabbits nibbling at or eating meat

But carrots to their taste buds an enjoyable treat

Poorly sighted human beings as ever not rare

And some at a young age glasses have to wear

But like rabbits if they eat raw carrots spectacles they may not need

In their daily newspaper the small print to read.

Hard To Impress

 They are people worth knowing those who never desire

Just to be like the people so many admire

The wealthy and famous of the Human World of today

To live and be like others it is not their way

The praises of celebrities you never hear them sing

They just live in their own way and do their own thing

They do not even desire local renown

And are happy to live as the not well known of the town

To be admired by others in life not their role

And they do have their egos well under control

They do not yearn for material or financial success

And they live as the people who are hard to impress

They do not wish to become a multi millionaire

And they are worth knowing since their sort are rare.

What A Warm Day For April

 What a warm day for April today it is thirty degrees

And the balmy air full of the buzzing of bush flies and bees

With the sun on their dark wings chirping as they fly

The swallows are chasing flying insects in the sky

Relaxing out of the sun in the heat of the day

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

And the flute like warbling of the birds who sing every day of the year

The silver billed magpies is so pleasant to hear

The countryside looking so green after the recent rain

With such marvellous weather one ought not to complain

Around the sunlit bushes and trees

White butterflies seemingly dancing in the breeze

The weather warmer now than it was in January and February which seems rather strange

But then we are in the age of Climate Change.

Only The Memories

 Good Memories today are all i do retain

Of the what used to be but will not be again

When the travellers parked their horse drawn vans at the Shannaknock Cross

Time with it that brings change can leave a sense of loss

They loved their brown and white pinto horses that at horse fairs they bought and sold

And though their history a sad one it does deserve to be told

The descendants of the poor evicted by Cromwell left to survive on the roadway

That they did not have any life choices of them one can say

But as a people they seemed happy despite their poverty

And at night around their campfires they told stories, sung and played music though this is now history

In the late nineteen fifties  increased motorized traffic to their ways of travel brought change

And the Shannaknock Cross without it's parked romany vans seemed to say the least strange

They were fine storytellers, musicians and singers and enjoyed their nomadic lives

Travelling in their horse drawn vans with their children and wives

And only the memories today do remain 

Of the what used to be never to be again.

The Musheramore Wind Turbines

 Objections are many in fact by the score

Against the proposed wind turbines of Musheramore

Though the praises of wind power as a clean form of electricity many do sing

Widespread agreement this does fail to bring

On saying that wind turbines on the high ground are not pleasant to view

That they produce a clean form of energy is not saying what is new

Musheramore above Millstreet Town will be like a once beautiful person with ugly scars on it's face

Tourists who have driven on the steep and narrow Butter Road remember it as a beautiful place

But if wind turbines cut back on carbon emissions this for the natural environment cannot be bad

That once beautiful places due to wind turbines on them are no longer beautiful does seem a bit sad

If the Musheramore objectors have a win there can be little doubt

That natural beauty too will be a winner though Climate Change will not lose out

Human anti Climate Change creations to natural beauty a foe

But for winners there are losers happens to be so.

Let Us Hear The Hooray

 Does not matter if you work for below award wages pay

Any job is better than no job government politicians do say

Though some are paid less for a hard month's work than politicians are paid for a day

And there is nothing in this that is fair or okay

The politicians that say any job is better than no job should resign their parliamentary seats and for a low paid job  apply

And if they think living in poverty is all that good they should give it a try

And become one of those who help to create another multi millionaire

What is fair to the privileged minority to the exploited majority is totally unfair

Most governments only legislate for the wealthy side of the town

And show no interest in the lives of the poor and the financially down

Whilst the gap between the wealthy and the poor keeps on growing ever wide

For any government on the ignoring of the needs of poor people there is no sense of pride

Those who say that all people are equal believe their own lie

Though the paupers become equal on the day they do die

To the town's former wealthiest person who in the cemetery lay

For the only true egalatarian the Reaper of Lives let us hear the hooray.

Quite Warm For April

 The sun shining bright in a sky blue and grey

For the far southern April it is such a beautiful day

A large flock of silver gulls eating sea lice washed ashore on the beach of the bay

Nature's beauty is unrivalled in truth one can say

The World's greatest beauty is in Nature to see

And for to view to everyone is monetary free

The flute like warbling of the birds who sing every day of the year

The silver billed magpies always pleasant to hear

Such beauty the artists and writers inspire

Of singing the praises of Nature one never could tire

She has some new surprise for us every day

And her wonders are many in truth one can say

With only the slightest of a coastal breeze

Quite warm for April close to thirty degrees.

We Learn As We live

 We learn as we live something new every day

For as long as we live in truth one can say

And for life's tougher lessons the price can be huge to pay

This is how it does work and it has always been this way

Since of the needs of the self they are only aware

Those who live for self only are no longer rare

And the Human World of their sort of more is not in need

Since of good Karma they never do plant the good seed

But humanity needs more of the caring and kind

Those who in the helping of others are alwaays willingly inclined

For those doing it tough they make the Human World better to live in

If everyone were only like them for humanity it would be a huge win

As the Human World of poverty it would be free

And how very wonderful this surely would be.

The Book By The Cover

 One can say of him he does have a false smile

For he is a fellow who is not free of guile

Not as nice a person as he appears to be

The soul in the mind others never does see

Most of those who have had dealings with him of him does say

That they are not on speaking terms with him today

For the trust they placed on him a financial price they did pay

Because of him they are much poorer today

Many of the not trustworthy do not find it hard to smile

But this can be quite a good cover for guile

And the reason for new friends for him harder to be found

Is that the word about him it has got around

A false image of himself to others he does portray

That one cannot judge the book by the cover remains relevant today.

An Open Marriage

 On Saturday whilst Jim is playing tennis with his friend Fred

His wife Anne is at home in bed

Having you guess what with her neighbour Stan

In his late twenties a virile young man

Jim and Anne in their late sixties grandparents well past their physical prime

And physically showing the wear of time 

Though living under the one roof apart in their ways they have grown

And nowadays they do have lives of their own

That young Stan is Anne's lover Jim is aware

Though of this he does not even seem to care

With Jane a fifty years old divorcee with blond dyed hair

He is having his own love affair

Legally they live as man and wife

But any passion between them has gone out of their life

Though on speaking terms it can be said

That any strong feelings of love between them is dead

Their's is an open marriage in truth one can say

And this is not unusual in the World of today

Between Jim and Anne in their loveless marriage there is no jealousy

Of any guilt they both feel free.

A Thing That Anybody Can Write

 Since i am one unworthy of literary note

I never lay claim to the title of poet

Such an honour to others i feel happy to leave

On each to their own one does have to believe

But rhymes are a thing that anybody can write

And are not hard to understand or to read or recite

And i ought to know i write them every day

And this does not take much brainwork in truth one can say

No shortage of my sort in any city or town

But few rhymers do make it to literary renown

Not the most popular form of literature in the literary World of today

Though rhyme did have it's innings in truth one can say

Of the praises of rhymers or rhyme you will not hear many sing

It was more of a nineteenth and twentieth century literary thing.

The Kind And Compassionate

 Of more kind and compassionate people the human World is in need

The people who often sow Karma's good seed

By performing a good deed or two every day

On helping poor people without asking for pay

The kind and compassionate are great people for to give them their due

And to their higher selves they remain ever true

Yet they are never among the admired of their side of the town

There is never much recognition for those who help the financially down

Of their sort a few of i only do know

And my admiration and respect for them only does grow

If everyone were only like them how great this this would be

The Human World it would be poverty free

And though they do their best to combat poverty

Sadly the kind and compassionate are in the minority.

Such A Beautiful Day

 In the sunny mostly blue sky just a few clouds of grey

For the second last day of March such a beautiful day

Just a few  weeks short of the prime of the far southern Fall

The best Autumn weather in memory that a local ageing resident can recall

A weather temperature high for the day of a pleasant twenty degrees

And white butterflies seemingly dancing in the gentle breeze

And the warm air full of the buzzing of wild honeybees

Gathering nectar from the white blossoms of the flowering gum trees

With such pleasant weather few would choose to complain

The coastal Moyne Shire looking green after the recent rain

Of the birds who do sing every day of the year

The warbling of the magpies is pleasant to hear

Such a beautiful day to be alive

Just to go for a walk or go on a country drive.

You Look At The Man

 You look at the man who abuses his wife

He is only repeating the lessons of his young life

When he often see his mum being bashed by his dad

In most people there is some reason in behaviour that is bad

Though not every man who has an abusive childhood behaves in this way

Past experiences on each individual works differently  in truth one can say

Most of the males who abuse their wives or partners and children in their own childhood knew of abuse

Though their bad behaviour in the family home is hard to excuse

There are males abusing women and children in every town

These criminally minded men do leave the male kind down

But in truth violent males are in the minority

The most males love their wives and children as many would agree

But most of the men who are violent to their partners and family

Are only repeating what they witnessed in their past history.

The Longer You Live

 There is fact in the old song and fact never lie

That the longer you live the sooner you will die

To all humans including all other life forms death does apply

That we are born to mortality none ought to deny

Death does not treat anyone as a friend

The life journey for all does come to an end

Between the paupers aand those of great wealth and fame

Death does not differentiate it treats as the same

Of the praises of death you will not hear many sing

Even the thought of it to many is a scary thing

But it is a thing that is natural in truth one can say

Babies are born and people are dying every day

Yes the longer you live the sooner you will die

Just a mere fact of life and fact never lie.

Superb Lyrebirds

 The male superb lyrebird the greatest bird mimic of all

In his song he imitates the noise and sound of animals and machinery and every local bird's song or call

In Winter the female builds a stick nest mostly in a trees stump and one large green pink dotted egg does lay

Whilst the male no part in fatherhood ever does play

On his mound with his long lyre shaped tail raised over his back the male does sing

Incorporating the songs of others birds to listen to a beautiful thing

Lyrebirds greyish brown pheasant sized birds in Australian south eastern forests reside

Famed for the mimicry in their songs by ornithologists Worldwide

Like their cousins the albert lyrebirds they are becoming rare

As people into bird conservation are only too awaare

Once seen and once heard you will know them again

Their excellent imitations of the songs of other birds in their own song with you will remain

Among Nature lovers they are birds that are loved and known

And of them one can say they are in a class of their own.

What We Dislike In Others

 What we dislike in others in ourselves we see

As they are our mind's reflective mirror though many with this would not agree

The person who seems likeable to you may not be so to me

At least anyway this is how it seems to be

People we like and dislike we do meet every day

Perhaps others are our reflective mirrors it would seem this way

Mind games people with those they do not like play

This is part of being human one only can say

For our strong emotions and feelings it is obviously clear

To perfection not many living people are near

She or he is a rare one the living saint

In fact is there one living who is free of taint?

What we dislike in others we dislike in ourselves may well be true

A time old saying that some credence is due.

Never Too Small

 If you can bring joy to somebody's day

In something you do for them or to them do say

The seeds of good Karma you are helping to sow

Since kindness to others you are willing to show

Kindness towards others has it's source in respect

It does have in it the ripple effect

In just to show that of the needs of others you are aware

When with them you do have kind words for to share

A kind word of greeting to a stranger feeling mentally down

That you may never more meet as you walk in the town

To many may not seems as important at all

But any act of kindness is never too small

When the spirits of one feeling sad you do raise

You are indeed a person well worthy of praise.

Where Mine Years Ago

 Where mine years ago was a well known face

Today i would be a stranger to most people in my first homeplace

From there in distance i live far away

And i have not been to there for many a day

It has been thirty five years when walking with my dog

that i last heard the curlews piping in Mattie Owens bog

On a balmy evening in the prime of the Spring

When the nesting songbirds did whistle and sing

In a field to her calf by old River Finnow 

Just after sundown the soft lowing of a cow

That such pleasant memories in the mind does stay

Despite time's erosion only true to say

Despite years of absence old memories remain

And in fancy i often walk in the old fields again

Where i grew to love Nature when i was a boy

And far south of there learning about her today i enjoy.

He Often Do Think

 He often do think of his first hometown far away

And the games with his friends as a child he did play

Some of them as he is are ageing migrants today

And some in the hometown did choose for to stay

And where all the deceased are some at peace do lay

On how long we live we do not have a say

On Summer evenings in the park of the town

With his young friends he chased the football up and down

Long before time it did become his foe

But going back the years this now seems long ago

An octogenarian widowed great granddad time has left him walking slow

Balding and grey haired the years on him show

And only the memories with him now remain

Of what used to be for him but will not be again.

From Life We Do Learn

 From life we do learn something new every day

We never stop learning in truth one can say

But knowledge on bushes and trees does not grow

And the more we do learn the more we realize so little we know

Life has many lessons to us for to give

And every day we learn something new for as long as we live

But for some of life's lessons the price can be high to pay

This is how it is life works in this way

Some lessons in life do come at a cost

When trust is betrayed and friendships are lost

The mistakes we have made we may live to regret

And the lessons we learn from them we will never forget

That life has it's lessons only true for to say

And we learn as we live something new every day.

Rhymers

Writing rhyme will never become your ticket to fame

And from doing it you will never grow wealthy and become a great literary name

Only a poet or poetess on the literary success hill climb to the top

Though some of them out of literary favour known to quickly drop

That anybody can write rhyme does seem true to say

And no shortage of rhymers in the World of today

And though many may see it as a waste of time

Rhymers do find pleasure in writing rhyme

And rhymers add to their numbers of rhymes every day

And few of them ever give rhyming away

But the literary critics never recognize a rhymer as a poetess or poet

And dismiss them as unworthy of any literary note

Though from rhyming they never know of wealth and fame

Rhymers enjoy writing rhymes just the same.

The New South Wales Floods

 In New South Wales recent flooding many a town and flooded countryside

Where thousands of domestic and wildborn creatures have died

As well as other life forms and a couple of people as well

People who live in the flooded areas have sad stories to tell

Of flood damage to their homes and properties which comes to them at a huge financial cost

And farmers do grieve for horses, cattle and sheep and other livestock they have lost

Animals they cannot afford to replace by Nature's anger destroyed

That Global Warming on extreme changes in weather behaviour plays some part cannot be denied

With human created carbon dioxide emissions not much for us to celebrate

Death and destruction due to flooding in New South Wales of late

Nature has grown angrier in Countries Worldwide

And from her anger for us humans nowhere safe for to hide

The Earth that does feed us we abuse every day

And to Nature for this a huge price we do pay.

Noel Pearson

 Noel Pearson the great Indigenous Australian leader knows what he is talking about

That the first Australian people are treated as second class citizens in their own Land he leaves nobody in doubt

They do not have a voice to Parliament Australia's indigenous race

That in the twenty first century young  Indigenous Australian's are dying in police custody is surely a National disgrace

Dying mostly at their own hands the bitter truth all Australians must face

That there is uncalled for discrimination in Australia against the people who should take pride of place

As the first people of Australia this vast and wonderful Land

That a great Indigenous leader like Noel Pearson should feel so disappointed should not be hard to understand

That they do not have a voice to Parliament in the twenty first century

And that many young indigenous people are living in dire poverty

They have suffered under white Australian Governments their children stolen from them going back a few decades of years

In massacres and discrimination colonization has brought to them suffering and tears

But thanks to leaders like Noel Pearson of Australia's first people better days may be ahead

And to be recognized in the Country's Constitution hope for them it is not dead.

Some People

 Some people are born into life others for to impress

To outcompete all of their competitors in their race to success

And though the praises of wealthy celebrities many may sing

Success as is said can be a relative thing

In a Human World where so called losers are many and big winners are few

That equalty does not exist is not saying what is new

And why somebody always does lose for another to gain

Is something that is way beyond me to explain

Those who dream of becoming wealthy and famous are not of the rare

Though not everyone can become a multi millionaire

And the humble of mind becoming rarer Worldwide

Whilst the gap keeps on increasing in the social divide

A sad enough Human World to live in it does seem

Where money and fame brings one high public esteem.

It Is Understandable

 It is understandable that some of them feel they may be better off dead

When at night they do not have a roof over their head 

To shelter them from the frost and the wind and the rain

The reasom many of them are without hope for times better how they live does explain

The poorest of the poor of the poor side of the town

Who will never know of wealth and renown

Those who talk of life choices for all do not know what they are on about

For the poor of the poor suburb life's choices are out

Survival for them in life is from day to day

Since the few of them who have jobs work for the lowest of pay

Life choices for all is surely a lie

In the suburb where many at a young age do die

The gap between the wealthy and the poor is growing by the day

And this seems a sad thing for to have to say.