Time On The Best

It is plain to see time has become his foe

He is not the man he was decades ago

The hair on his balding head gray the years on him show

His fastest pace nowadays to say the least slow

In his prime the champion athlete of the town

And his was far greater than local renown

Three times National eight hundred metres champion when none as him ran as fast

All he has are memories of his glorious past

Back in the days when he was quick on his feet

A former Olympian against the World's best he did compete

Now a grandfather in his late sixties divorced from his wife

Without a partner he lives a single life

Every day he jogs in the park his fastest pace slow

Time on the best it eventually does show.

The Beauty Of Nature

The beauty that is around us every day

To view that we do not need money to pay

The beauty of Nature for all is free

It is everywhere all around you and around me

Due to Climate Change and human destruction of their habitat many of Nature's creatures are becoming rare

A very sad thing for to be of aware

In a few decades from now young Australians may not see

A koala sleeping or eating leaves on a manna gum tree

And in the high Arctic the great white polar bear

On the endangered list of extinction and have become rather rare

And much of this because of  Global Warming due to human greed

Of many more human friends Mother Earth is in need

Many of Nature's creatures are endangered of extinction and it is sad to say

That us humans on this a huge part does play.

Though By His Huge Army

Though by his huge army a few wars have been won

His mum and his dad in him did not raise a good son

So many good people at the hands of his ruthless army have suffered and died

For his attack on a Sovereign Country for him no sense of pride

His ego for his head is too big a size

For Putin there will never be a Nobel Prize

Just another war criminal of him one can say

Eventually to Karma for his crimes he will pay

Death and suffering happens when a narcissistic meglomaniac great popwer does command

But Putin too eventually will come to understand

That Karma will exact from him the price of his every crime

On some form or way on some future time

Once again his ruthless army inflicting death and pain

On the good and decent people of Ukraine

Repeating again the mistakes of past years

To humanity his sort only offers death, suffering and tears.

Our Individuality

The one who is great to you is not great to me

On others we look on in our ways differently

But then how very boring we would seem to be

If on our ideas and opinions we all did agree

Even the like minded do not agree on everything

They may both like the singer but one of them does not like the song the singer does sing

Even the best of friends on all things do not see eye to eye

That even the most tribal of people are individuals in their own ways seems hard to deny

The reason in community meetings there are disagreements not hard to understand

Even in friends groups not everything turn out as previously planned

Those who agree on all things are in the few

And this is not saying anything that is new

Our individuality makes us more interesting as people it would seem true to say

No two think exactly the same it has always been this way.

A Former Rose Of The Town

A victim of time the town's former rose

She has put on weight and outgrown her younger years clothes

With dark brown hair dye she cloaks her gray

She is not attractive to men today

A twice divorced grandmother to two abusive males she was a good wife

Nowadays she does not have a man in her life

In her younger years a brown eyed beauty with shoulder length wavy hair of dark brown

Admired by many young men as the rose of the town

Unrecognizable from the attractive young woman she was years ago

Of all physical beauty time becomes the foe

Her choice of possessive and assertive males did not serve her well

On her fifteen years combined of two abusive husbands she made life for herself hell

In her mid sixties better days she has known

She feels happier nowadays living on her owns

For to be in a relationship she does not feel the need

In we learn as we live a truism indeed

Going back in time four decades or so

In human years this seems a long time ago

She was the young rose of the town back then

But she did pay her price for her wrong choice in men.

Those With Genuine Love Of Self In Them

 If you cannot love yourself you cannot love anyone

The advice of a wise mother to her daughter and son 

And those with genuine love of self in them as most are aware

Their surplus of love with others do share

Narcissism has got nothing to do with love of self  despite what some think or say

Since narcissism is different to love in every way

Narcissists are people who with the self who are only impressed

And crave the admiration of others as the self obsessed

Those with genuine love of self on the achievements of the self never dwell

In this respect they serve humanity well

They help those in need of helping without expecting the rewards of pay

And perform their good deeds in their kind and compassionate way

Those with genuine love of self in them in their kindness hope to others does bring

And their praises i always feel happy to sing.

Nothing Worse In The Mind

On the gentler human feelings the ego does take it's toll

Nothing worse in the mind than an ego out of control

Arrogance and narcissism it can claim as a friend

And to say that the egotistical are rare would be to pretend

That the humble of the World are of the few

Would not be telling anyone something that is new

Since the humble of the World are endangered it does seem

And looked on by many in the twenty first century as people of low self esteem

In a World where self promotion is seen as a good thing

So many their own praises publicly sing

And their personal profile they raise in this way

Humility is on the decline in the World of today

In the age of advanced technology it is sad to realize

That narcissism that inflates the ego is on the rise.

On Politicians

Politicians about their political opponents to the media never have any nice things to say

But out of parliament and the media microphones with many of them it is not this way

In private many of them have friends on the opposite side

Friendships among politicians transcends the political divide

And that some politicians bear grudges against some members of their own party cannot be denied

That in public they do find it a struggle to hide

But in parliament it is quite a different thing

Where the praises of their own political party they always does sing

In politics to party members it belongs to all

The truth in united we stand and divided we fall

And even members of their own political party they do not like nice things they do say

To be untrue to themselves for political gain they believe on this way

When you vote for a member of a political party you vote for a politician as a truism remain

The meaning in this it's own self does explain.

For All Of Us

For all of us there is a last night and day 

Humans are no different to all other life forms on this way

The fact is we are born to mortality and fact never lie

And eventually you and i one day will die

It is only saying what happen to be so

That eventually time becomes everyone's foe

Each breath we does take one nearer to our last

And as is said of time it keeps on ticking fast

In real time the longest lived human life is not a long span

On average seventy years a few years more for a woman than it is for a man

On how long you and i live is not for us to say

We should try to enjoy our every living day

For far greater than any other form of success

Life is the greatest gift us humans possess.

A Devoted Mother

Though bad things by him to others have been done

The mother speaks out in defense of her son

She says my son he is innocent of any crime

And is wrongfully in prison serving jail time

As a devoted mother her son she defend

On his time of most need she is his greatest friend

She wept when the judge sentenced him in the high court

She did not forsake him when he needed support

The worry of her son being in prison on her is taking it's mental toll

And in continuing to support him she is playing the true mother's role

The bond of mother and child in adulthood remain

The love of her children until death the mother retain

My son he is wrongfully in prison today

For crimes he did not commit the mother did say.

I Only Have Memories

I only have memories of what used to be

And the grey fog on Clara i may never more see

But in my visualizations i often do hear

The birds sing and whistle in the Spring of the year

From where into manhood i did grow i am ageing far south

Of the fields of the badger and waterways of the brown trout

And only the memories with me now remain

Of faces and places i will not see again

Here in the home of echidna, wallaby, koala and gray kangaroo

And long billed white corella and yellow tailed black cockatoo

I am learning new things of Nature every day

We never stop learning in truth one can say

And the more we do learn the more we realize

That we do know so little this is not a surprise

And though i can tell apart a currawong from a crow

Of Nature so little i can claim to know

Far south of where i grew to love Nature as a young boy

Learning of her ways today is something i enjoy

We will never stop learning until the day we do die

Those who do tell you differently believe their own lie.

Mick Punk And Con Snowball

Two characters of Millstreet Town well worthy of recall

Michael Murphy alias Mick Punk and Con Dennehy the lovable Snowball

They brought laughter to their Duhallow Town in the long ago

Going back the years as i remember time then had become their foe

Mick Punk was the local chimney sweep he earned his living in the hard and sooty way

And working for the Cork County Council Snowball earned his living pay

They often gave rise to laughter one of the greatest gifts of all

But sadly the names of their sort never appear on a memorial wall

Perhaps the greatest characters of the old Duhallow Town

They  helped to raise the spirits of many who were down

They carried laughter in them and shared it around

And laughter creates laughter it is such a joyful sound

Millstreet the poorer for their passing in truth one can say

And only those who knew of them remember them today.

Through Different Eyes

Through different eyes difference we do see

They are very different those different to me 

They often wear busines suits keep high class company

Suppose if we all were the same how boring we would be

Their children in boarding schools they have attractive wives

But i do not envy them their wonderful lives

I could not live like they do i do my own thing

And i leave it to them their own praises to sing

I am just one of those who enjoy penning rhyme

Which they would look on as a huge waste of time

Since for doing it i never receive any pay

It is each to their own in the World of today

In upper class restaurants with their wealthy friends they wine and dine

And the lives they do lead are quite different to mine.

Johno And Ann

A woman is as old as she looks and a man is old when he stops looking old John does say

My ex wife Ann in her seventies looks years  than she is today

Not that she is ageing in a natural way

With blond hair dye she covers her gray

As for me says old Johno my years i do show

And of far better days of in life i did know

He does not have a partner nowadays or a wife

He feels quite content to live a single life

He lives a different lifestyle to his ex wife Ann

Who nowadays is a partner to a far younger man

A bank manager who is on a big salary

Together they wine and dine in high class company

Johno lives on his own as a single man

Quite a different lifestyle to his former wife Ann.

Financially Of Late

Financially of late things are not going your way

And at work you are having another bad day

The boss has refused your request for a raise in pay

But with the boss you work for you do not have to stay

Your notice to quit your job you contemplate

To leave your present employment on your behalf may be a stroke of good fate

You are foolish for poor take take home pay to work like a slave 

There is some truth in the saying that fortune favours the brave

With youth and a good work record on your side

If you hand in your notice you will not be long unemployed

Of the job you now work in the best tghing to do

Would be to hand in your notice this would be best for you

And get a new job start with better take home pay

As money speaks every language in the World of today.

Sean Radley

Sean Radley for years has been great for Millstreet

A nicer person one could not wish for to meet

He promotes Duhallow and it's people online on such a good way

Of everyone he writes nice things and nice things does say

Sean Radley has not been feeling well of late

But Millstreet ie online without him seems hard to contemplate

One familiar to many and his is a well loved face

He will be almost impossible to replace

To many Worldwide Sean Radley is known

But the people of Millstreet feel proud to claim him for their own

So gentle and generous and with his words kind

One of the few who was born with a beautiful mind

Sean Radley is a great person for to give him his due

To his higher self he is one who is true.

On Birdsong

It is not for the love of song that the male songbirds do sing

Since singing with them is mostly a territorial thing

They sing when they have nests and borders to defend

Not for the joy of song or to be anyone's friend

Their songs are not born of love of the mind

But mostly of aggression directed at males of their own kind

To neighbouring males the message is clear

One reason the tree where the nest the female sits in they do not venture near

For they know if they cross the designated border and the male's warning song defy

There well may be bloodshed and feathers will fly

So they heed the warning and keep to their own territory

And on so doing with their neighbour retain harmony

Most experts on birdsong on one thing agree

That it is not about love but defense of territory.

Nature Is One

Nature is one who has ways of her own

And some things about her will never be known

Even by students of her who of her ways much does know

Yet their wonderment of her only does grow

We never stop learning in truth one can say

And of Nature we learn something new every day

The beauty she creates we do not pay to see

Everyday it is all around you and it is all around me

She helps Mother Earth to grow the food on to live we depend

Yet to Nature and Mother Earth many of us not a good friend

From them we take and we take and in return little give

Yet we are depending on them for to live

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

That of her we know little this is not a surprise.

On The Passing Of Denis J Reen

Sad news online for to read of today

Denis J Reen one of the Reen family of Millstreet Town has passed away 

Though born and raised in Millstreet Town in Tralee where he raised his children he had lived for years

And as a good living person he deserved to be farewelled in tears

Close to if not eighty his best days long gone

But like most other people he too would have wished to live on

Since far greater than any other form of success

Life is the greatest gift anyone does possess

Denis J was one who was well loved and well known

And though he had lived for years in Tralee he was one of Millstreet's own

One who lived an honourable life and did give to receive

His family and many friends at his passing will grieve

One can only hope his parting from life was not a painful release

From life's cares and worries death to all brings peace.

I Just Wish To Live Out My Time

I just wish to live out my time free of stress 

And enjoy my every moment of happiness

Years ago i dropped out of the race to success

And others i no longer wish to impress

I leave it to younger people to compete

To be best in their neighbourhood or best on their street

And be in the competition for best in the town

And go on from there to far greater renown

From now on to my higher self i will try to live true

And give to those worthy the verbal credit they are due

Try not to be judgmental and live and let live

And do not expect to receive when i give

The wealthy and famous i do not admire

And just to be like them never had that desire

The people i admire help those in life doing it tough

The hungry and homeless at night who sleep rough

Of the stress that life can bring i wish to live free

I only wish to be the best i can be

In the Autumn of life i am seventy five

I feel happy at my age just to be alive

It Is Not Everything

Contented with their lot in life people are getting harder to meet

Are we born into life with others to compete?

For this thing that many refer to as success

There should be more to living of life than others trying to impress

That this thing known as success is tied to the ego seems hard to deny

And the ego is a hard one to satisfy

Some not even satisfied with being among the admired of the town

The craving is in them than this for far greater renown

But to wealth and to fame there can be a downside

Some of the wealthiest and most famous people Worldwide

Despite their money and fame still not satisfied

Since of happiness by greed they have  been denied

Of their praises their fans and admirers may sing

But money and fame it is not everything.

Some Women

Some women like their men big and brawny with muscles on their bodies bulging out

Manly in his ways and protective of his woman of one not to be messed with he leaves none in doubt

But some women do not go for the brawny type they like their men on the gentle side

Women on their choice of men different this is how it is Worldwide

Some women only marry a man with heaps of money though he may be three times their age

Just one of the town's very wealthy though lacking in the wisdom of a sage

As is said money speaks every language which only happens to be true

Whoever said this was a wise person for to give her or him their due

Some women marry for love only love to them only does count

Money to them not a priority to them feelings of love to everything does amount

In their choice of men most women different this is how it seems to be

When it comes to love women and men look at life in their ways differently

Individual women on men have their own ideas

The choice of  a man by some others would not please.

Every Migrant

Every migrant has a place or a city or a town to refer to as first home

The Londoner has London and the Roman has Rome

And the Parisian has Paris and the New Yorker has New York

And as for me it is Millstreet in the County of Cork

Though i have not been back there for decades of years

And for the what used to be i have shed my last tears

The accent of Duhallow is with me today

And for as long as i do live with me it will stay

There i grew to love reading rhymes as a young boy

And writing them nowadays is a thing i enjoy

Just for the love of doing it without hope of pay

Old habits die hard only true for to say

And though they may have left there many decades ago

That every migrant has a first home happens to be so.

Can Be Relative

This thing known as success can be relative is how it seems to be

The one who is successful to you may not be so to me

Through different eyes difference we do see

And even the like minded on all things do not agree

The kindest and most compassionate never the most admired in the town

And they are even strangers to local renown

And by the majority not looked on as successful on any sort of a way

Though those in need of helping they help every day

The most selfish of people by many admired 

And greed and selfishness in others by them is inspired

Yet the caring and kind a better World are helping to create

The ordinary to you to me are the great

And success can be relative would you not agree

The ordinary to you are the successful to me.

He Wants All To Hear

At his false sense of greatness he verbally rejoice

The man who does love the sound of his own voice

After a few drinks in the pub always talking loud

His is the loudesst voice among the noisy crowd

Of his latest achievements in public he brag

Just like his ageing father another windbag

But so many like him in every town

To be good at boasting their one claim to renown

Breeding begets breeding as the wise one does say

His dad in his mid fifties into self promotion in a big way

Like father like son is how it seems to be

The boasting gene it is in the family

By the high volume of his voice it is obviously clear

Of how great a man he is he wants all to hear.

Prince Andrew

Out of favour with the Royals Prince Andrew Queen Elizabeth's favourite son

For his affair with the then under age Virginia Giuffre the wrong thing he has done

For an out of court settlement with a huge amount of money he did pay

That money speaks every language does seem true to say

Andrew's friendship with the deceased disgraced billionaire Geoffrey Epstein for him ended bad 

Though for him i cannot say i feel in any way sad

For having sex with an underage person even for a Royal is a serious crime

Andrew is rather lucky to have escaped prison time

The true facts of Andrew's sexual crimes may never be told

And as a disgraced ex Royal he will grow old

Before being involved with the billionaire paedophile Geoffrey Epstein he should have thought more than twice

For his mistakes of the past he has paid a huge price

But why should i who is not without sin cast the verbal stone

At the behaviour of one who is condemned that i cannot condone.

In February In Mushera

From the overnight frost the high fields looking gray

And in the farmyard sheds the cattle are bellowing for silage or hay

The weather temperature just above zero degrees

And the hungry rooks cawing on bare deciduous trees

The songs of the birds one never does hear

In February in Mushera a cold and wet time of year

On the narrow and steep Butter Road above Millstreet Town

Few cars and trucks do pass up and down

Since in Spring and Summer far more natural beauty to see

Few tourists visit Ireland in February

When the fields by the mountain wear their Nature's flowers

That have come to bloom in the mild Spring showers

The high countryside looking lush and green

And in Mushera at her finest natural beauty to be seen.

The Consequences Of War

The World will not end at a war in Ukraine

But for the Ukrainian people there will be suiffering and death and financial pain

The consequences of war is loss of limbs, death and tears

And the hatred it creates does linger for years

In war winners are losers on some sort of a way

In the loss of human lives and serious injuries the price huge to pay

It is true victory in war is based on a lie

It is hard to claim victory if many of your own troops do die

Leaders who declare war are people of a criminal mind

Any excuse of the declaring of war on a Sovereign Country does seem so hard to find

The mistakes of war seem like being repeated again

That will bring death and suffering to the people of Ukraine.

Of When You Were Younger

Of when you were younger in your physical prime

Your memories in you despite the passing of time

Of when you were an admired sportsman of the town 

And your fame transcended the local renown

You were a known star of your code of football

And many old timers today does recall

The many fine performances you gave on the field of play

By them at least you are remembered today

Nowadays the club fans have a young star footballer to admire

And of singing his praises never seem to tire

On the field of play for himself a name he has made

But like yours did in time too his fame will fade

As a sportsman you were famous many decades ago

But time to your fame it has become the foe.

Were I Born A Poet

Were i born a poet a poem i would write

Of lovers of Nature to enjoy and read and recite

Of how the birds build their intricate nests in the Spring

In the time of year when they whistle and sing

Were i born a poet i would write of the freshening breeze

Soughing in the leafy branches of the trees

Carrying in it the sweet scent of freshly mowed grass for silage or hay

In the cool of the evening of a nice Summer day

But it is not saying anything on anyway that is new

That true poets as is said are of the few

And i am not one i cannot deny

Though to describe Nature's beauty my best i does try

Were i born a poet of Nature's beauty in verse i would glorify

And of creating beauty in words my talents i would apply

And though i try my best a poet i will never be

Since it is my love of rhyme has made a rhymer of me.

Clive Palmer

Clive Palmer is a known multi billionaire

Of huge donations in money he donates a share

Of his vast profit from mining to neo con politicians for favours by them to him done

It is due to him and others like him that elections are won

Clive a mining magnate a major abuser of the Earth that does feed us all

His contribution to Global Warming to say the least not small

He has made his billions extracting  the Earth resources by his workers digging huge holes in the ground

Sad to think that the admirers of the super wealthy like Clive in large numbers abound

The majority of the pollution Worldwide is created by the wealthy few

And this is not saying anything that is new

Of the one who does feed us all Clive Palmer is not a friend

Yet on our Earth Mother for our very existence we do depend

Clive Palmer some of his billions to the promotion of the enemies of the Earth donate

Yet his many admirers look on him as great.

It Was due To Circumstance Of Birth

It was due to circumstance of birth i was born near Millstreet Town

But i am not to know of when or where i will see my last sundown

It was my yearn for adventure that took me to elsewhere

To experience life in the big World out there

Those who stay in their first homeplace or hometown until the day they do die

Have a far deeper sense of place than one such as i

To grow old far from home they never feel the desire

For their love of place them one can only admire

Of the praises of home they do regularly sing

For to live and work far from home would never be their thing

Happy to live and work where they are well known

And looked on by the other locals as one of their own

It was due to circumstance of birth that i was born in Millstreet

In the green countryside near where the waterways meet

The More We Look At Nature

The more we look at Nature the more we realize

That there is far more to her than does meet our eyes

We learn as we live it does seem this way

And of Nature we learn something new every day

The students of Nature and they are not of the few

Will tell you everyday of her we do learn something new

Her flora and fauna amazing with ways of their own

To human beings of Nature much remains as unknown

So much to learn of Nature from the great to the small

From the great blue whales of the ocean to the insects that crawl

On or under the ground there is more to Nature than we wish to realize

The beauty she creates to admiration gives rise

Of Nature we learn something new every day

Her wonders are many in truth one can say.

Doesn't Mean You Are A Good Person

Doesn't mean you are a good person if to your god you regularly pray

You may well be a fake many so called religious people are this way

They pray to the god on whom they profess to believe

It is true many people flatter to deceive

If to your higher self you do not try to live as true

Then the god you do worship may be better off without you

Your admiration is only for the wealthy of the town

And you are judgmental on a negative way of the financially down

For a better World to live in with yourself you begin

Why waste your time on worshipping your universal god if you do not have your god within

They are known to be generous and caring and kind

Those who do have in them their god of the mind

They may be atheists or agnostics and do not have a Universal god to for to pray

But those with their god within perform their good deeds every day.

Love's Darker Side

Her husband who abused her in the cemetery lay

And for taking his life she is in prison today

In the eyes of the law the taking of any human life is a serious offense

Though her killing of him was in self defense

Both in their late twenties they were married for two years

A relationship that started with love for her ended in tears

Of love she does not have a happy story to tell

She spends most of her time in her prison cell

Before they were married love between them did grow

And of the happiness that true love brings of she did know

She did not realize that his true self  to her then he did not show

That he was one lacking in the bright inner glow

When married the love between them quickly wilted like a flower

And over her he gradually asserted his personal power

At a beating from him that she did receive

At the still birth of their child for months she did grieve

One evening after coming home from the pub her he did physically attack

But this time was different she decided to fight back

From the kitchen table she grabbed a pointy carving knife

One stab was enough to bring an end to his life

In the high court by jury for murder she was tried

But on a verdict of manslaughter they did decide

Ten years in prison of which she has already served five

At least her terrible marriage she did survive

One who has known of love's darker side

That she suffered physically and mentally at the hands of her abuser cannot be denied

That we learn from the past does seem true to say

And for some of our mistakes the price can be huge to pay.

I Feel Happy Where I Live

I feel happy where i live of this i will not lie

And it may not be in Duhallow that i will die

And only the memories today do remain

Of what used to be but will not be again 

Time is our master only true to say

And every day we live one nearer to our last day

Laughter is the antidote of misery

And lucky the one who can laugh easily

A migrant in this Land i well may be

Buit few in Duhallow today would know me

Some good and bad Seasons i did survive

And i feel lucky to be living at seventy five

In green old Duhallow i may not breathe my last

And all i have left are memories of the past.

Like Every Other Rhymer

Eventually we all do run out of time

And like every other rhymer for me too a last rhyme

The Reaper of lives on our lives has the last say

For all of us there is a last night and day

We can only live in the now this is the best we can do

Who knows what tomorrow will bring for me or you

At the stroke of midnight today will have gone

And tomorrow will dawn and time will tick on

And since there are losers and winners life works on this way

Tomorrow's winner may be the loser today

For our gift of life we ought to feel glad

And as is aid we must take the good days with the bad

Life is the greatest gift anyone does possess

Far greater than any other form of success.

A February Day

A beautiful day for to be healthy, mobile and alive

For to go for a walk or a country drive

In the balmy air bush flies buzzing about

On this sunny day in the coastal far south

A weather temperature high  for the day of thirty degrees

And white butterflies dancing in the gentle breeze

And though February in the south can be a warm time of year

The milder Autumn weather with each passing day near

The paddocks that were green a few weeks ago by the coastal country town

From the recent warm and dry weather are now looking brown

Though some local farmers now wishing for rain

Many with these warm sunny days will not complain

A February day in the south west of thirty degrees

And the warm air is full of the buzzings of bush flies and bees.

At The Sheepdog Trials

In the Port Fairy football oval in the sunshine of February

The best sheep penning dogs one is privileged to see

At the Australian sheepdog trials which is held annually

Why border collies are acclaimed as the World's smartest canines seems hard with to disagree

People bring their best working dogs from places far and near

To compete against Australia's best in Port Fairy once a year

In Port Fairy in the sunshine when the handlers with their best dogs with each other for to be Australia's best compete

There is always intense rivalry at the year's biggest sheepdog trial meet

The dog owners of the winning dogs from the pups of their champions does financially well

The pups of winning trials dogs at top prices does sell

A Town in south west Victoria that everybody of seems to know

Where the brown waters of the Moyne into the Pacific flow

In the sunshine of February in Victoria's coastal south west

The best trial dogs in Australia compete for to be the best.

It Is Looking This Way

Why us humans do not learn from past mistakes beyond me to explain

Putin has his huge Russian army surrounding Ukraine

If he does annex a former Soviet Country many lives will be lost

Even victory in war does come at a huge cost

The Ukranians their Land have vowed to defend

Though they probably will be overpowered they will fight to the end

Putin will come to realize for a victory in war the price is huge to pay

The Ukranians will not surrender their Lands in a day

If he gives the orders to invade the fighting will go on for years

Of a conflict that will give rise to death, suffering and tears

Will Putin give the orders to invade Ukraine is not for me to say

But with his huge army ready to attack it is looking this way

For him to withdraw his troops on his behalf would be an honourable thing

And for this people Worldwide his praises would sing.

It Is Circumstance Of Birth

It is circumstance of birth decide for us our hometown

And like all others for me there will be a last sundown

But i often think of the fields where the waterways meet

In the green countryside by the Town of Millstreet

I left Claraghatlea many Seasons ago

And since time that ages all life has become my foe

I have not seen old Ireland for thirty five years

And for what used to be i have shed my last tears

I have learned more from life than i have learned in school

Far north of this countryside by Warrnambool

Everyday of life i do learn something new

Her lessons to say the least not of the few

I would be a stranger to many in Duhallow today

And some who know or know of me there would not have nice things to say

Since of Nature and her flora and fauna i rhyme in defense

And to some this does seem to cause some offense

Some by my rhymes offended i hear through the grapevine

But they are entitled to their opinions and this suits me fine

In rhyme on anyone i never mount a personal attack

And because of their opinions on anyone i never turn my back 

In the twenty first century humanity is becoming more tribal Worldwide

And some people become quite offended if you are not on their side

But i am one of the non tribal and do things in my own way

And if some do not like me for my opinions this too with me  is okay

People are people one has to suppose

And few do go hrough  life without making some foes

And though memories of what was in me does remain

I may never climb on old Clara again.

There Are None Of Us Perfect

There are none of us perfect why otherwise pretend 

And everybody does not wish to be your friend

And though you are quite likeable and kind in your way

Not everyone of you will have nice things to say

There are always a few in words to put you down

The judgmental are not rare in any town

And though many do like you one has to suppose

That the one with many friends is not without foes

You perform a good deed or two every day

And in the helping of others often go out of your way

To your higher self you try to live as true

And for your kindness to others credit you are due

A good and likeable person you well may be

But of the judgments of the judgmental you will never be free.

More Sad News For Koalas

More sad news for koalas on the media today

Extinction for them in time does not seem far away

Their numbers on the decrease in percentage every year

Such very sad news for to read of or of hear

Fierce bush fires as a result of Global Warming and destruction of their natural habitat due to human greed

Of far more human friends of koalas are badly in need

In a decade from now they will be very rare

No good stories on koalas of late for to share

Sadly future generations of people in Australia may never see

A koala eating gum leaves or sleeping on a manna gum tree

They may join the list of the extinct of the twenty first century

No wildborn koalas in Australia how sad this would be

That koalas are in trouble such sad news indeed

Of many more human friends they are in need.

It Is Obviously Clear

By the political scaremongering it is obviously clear

That we are in another election year

Major political parties on their opponents spreading verbal fear

As the day of the election as ever draws near

Common sense will tell you that it goes without doubt

That it is not the people politicians do worry about

Loss of power always comes with an election defeat

And the loss for the politicians who lose their parliamentary seat

Of their love for their Country they like in public of to be made known

But politicians only take care of their own

Selves and families and friends their talk of love of Country a false love indeed

They are only in politics to serve their own need

Honourable politicians to say the least few

And this is not saying anything that is new.

Frank Donnelly Told Me

Frank Donnelly told me my better days are in the past

That on my eightieth year of life i will breathe my last

This only gives me five more years to live

Not many Seasons for Frank to me to give

I only do hope that thought do prove him wrong

That at eighty i will feel quite healthy and strong

Though my better days are in the forever gone

I am one who loves life and i want to live on

Frank Donnelly who is two years younger than me

Looks many years younger as most would agree

Says he too will die at eighty lets hope his prophesies don't come true

Though he is known to be prophetic for to give him his due

Though Frank and i are long beyond our lives prime

On when we will die i hope he is wrong in his time.

Obviously Clear

Though by publishers few biographies published to sell

Everyone does have their own story tell

The stories of some of the wealthy and famous as best sellers sold

But so many stories remain as untold

Some people who have lived quite adventurous and interesting lives

So few stories of them in time survives

That money speaks every language remains ever true

And whoever first  said this some credit is due

Some quite interesting people only known to a few

And this is not saying anything that is new

Not everybody can know of wealth and fame

And in their lifetime become a great name

Many quite interesting people we never do read of or of hear

That money speaks every language is obviously clear.

A Fact Of Our Existence

A fact of our existence and fact never lie

Like all other life forms we are born to die

Whatever we achieve in life for us there is an end

We do not live forever on this one can depend

Three score and ten years the average human life span

Though on average a few years more for a woman than it is for a man

And what happens to the soul when the body does die

For an answer to this ask one other than i

Many believe for an afterlife for the soul of a heaven or hell

Though of the existence of these no deceased person has yet come back to tell

Though the dead never hear the tolling of the funeral bell

For all of us from life a day final farewell

On our lives death always does have the last say

And for all of us there is a last night and day.

In The Workings Of Humanity

In a World where many are growing poorer by the day

The wealthy are getting wealthier which is so sad to say

And that many does prosper at others expense

In the workings of humanity there does not seem much sense

Billions of people in the World doing it tough

And are hungry and on little food surviving and at night sleeping rough

One can only imagine how it feels like to live in extreme poverty

So much for all of this talk about human equality

Some people of everything have far more than enough

When the easiest day in life for some people is tough

Without shelter and hungry they try to sleep at night

In the workings of humanity so many things are not right

The gap between the wealthy and the poor widening in the twenty first century

And only death is the one who brings equality.

Hold Your Head High

Do not feel mentally down though life on you is tough

And never give way to the feeling of not being good enough

There should be no shame on being financially down

So walk with your head high on the street of the town

It is true that your luck can change in a day

This happens to be so life works on this way

You have never been in jail or committed a crime

Though financially at present you are not having a good time

Though at present not doing financially well

In a few weeks from now you may have a better story to tell

As is said good things come to all those who wait

And so it will be with you if with hope you keep faith

You never beg, steal or borrow and though financially down

So hold your head high when walking in the town.

People For These Things

People for these things known as money and success compete every day

And more losers than winners humanity works in this way

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

Winning is the thing that everybody does choose

And though the praises of winners everybody does sing

Succes in itself can be a relative thing

Your idea of success may be different to mine

We even vary on our opinions on the taste of wine

But if we all thought in the same way we would have nothing about on to disagree

And without individual thinking how boring we would be

Though to most people the accumulation of money is in their idea of success

Though everyone this does not seem to impress

Though winning mostly seems to matter in the World of today

It is each to their own as the wise one does say.

In Yangery Today

Carrying in the warm breeze of February in Yangery today

The sweet scent of grass mowed for silage or hay

Between the city of Warrnambool and Koroit Town

The countryside green a few weeks back is now looking brown

Going back in time history tells us so

The Yangery tribe lived here up to two centuries ago

It seems a sad enough thing for to have to say

That any of their tribe is not known for to be living today

In this countryside now that could do with more trees

It is said some Yangery women gave birth to and raised children of shipwrecked Portugese

And that many of them fell victims of invaders and the remainder of them from their lands dispossessed

And somewhere in the dark earth of Yangery their bones are at rest

It is peaceful and sunny in Yangery today

Where the warm breeze is carrying the sweet scent of grass mowed for silage or hay

Few Wish To Know Of

Few wish to know of the sad sacks of the town

Who never does smile and in mood are often down

One can say in numbers their friends never grow 

In life as is said we do reap what we sow

Those who can laugh easily their friends multiply

That many do like them their carefree ways the reason why

Others of them does wish of to know

They are born into life with the bright inner glow

It is true about a smile it does not cost one a thing

And a small flutter of joy to another may bring

But the sullen and moody their friends always rare

And the reason for this they do not have any joy for to share

Those who can laugh easily make new friends every day

They are so very lucky to be blessed in this way.

If They Are Egotistical

If they are egotistical them one hardly can blame

The Worldwide sporting celebrities and entertainers of great wealth and fame

The admiration of their many fans to their heads has gone

Still on the day they die life without them goes on

Whatever we achieve in life death is our due

And that everyone is replaceable happens to be true

Many of those who thought they were irreplaceable are not living today

And life goes on without them it works in this way

On why one needs a heroine or hero to look up to i do not believe

At the news of their passing their fans for them grieve

Their fans to them strangers at the news of their deaths does weep

Suppose most humans need leaders to follow but so too does sheep

Though they are treated as small gods and their praises many sing

Too much of admiration for anyone is not a good thing.

Polar Bears Irish Connection

It is not a fable from the days of old

Polar bears originated in Ireland by the well informed we are told

Something scientists agree on from skeletal remains

Discovered in Ireland from d n a testing such knowledge they gain

Such knowledge with us those with science degrees share

The ancestor of Polar bears was a brown Irish bear

That at the end of the ice age with the retreating ice followed it to the Land known as the Arctic today

Though sadly many see fit to disagree with what scientists have to say

Why the descendants of the bown bears turned white perhaps the answer in evolution one may find

But for the true reason of this ask one of a far greater mind

Than the likes of me who does not have a science degree

Who only write rhymes of what i read of, hear of and see

Polar bears originated in Ireland or so we are told

Though the sceptical dismiss it as a fable from the days of old.

The Amazing Dan O Donoghue

For the famous owner breeder of coursing greyhounds from Millstreet Dan O Donoghue another coursing success

In Clonmel a fawn and white dog he bred Tree Top Danno is one who did impress

On winning The Champion Stakes Ireland's premier all age coursing stakes which left his breeder Dan with a great big smile

Making the journey to Clonmel for the greyhounds connections well worth their while

Back in the nineteen seventies when he was a young man in his physical prime

And this is going back many Seasons in time

With Barney Connell and the late Connie Coakley he built many a manhole

But as is said of time on the best of them it does take it's toll

Not one of those in Millstreet whose praises are often sung

But the amazing Dan O Donoghue in spirit remains ever young

In coursing circles in Ireland one loved by many and admired

By his sort of life story young people to self betterment inspired

For many years Dan O Donoghue has spent his days in a wheelchair

But you will never hear him say that life is unfair

On his life's crosses not one to silently brood

At most times he is one who feels in a good mood

Many coursing enthusaists in Ireland know and admire Dan

One can say of him that he is a great man

And since greatness in itself can be a relative thing

His praises one ought to feel happy to sing

The great joy of winning he did embrace

In Clonmel at The Champion Stakes with a huge smile on his face

His best years may be in the forever gone

But the spirit is in him with life to go on

On The Abuse Of Mother Earth

On the abuse of Mother Earth for money many of us humans persist

In a time when many of Nature's creatures are on the endangered list

Due in some part to the destruction of their natural habitat caused by human greed

Nature and Mother Earth of more human friends are in need

Sadly the children of the future may never see

A koala dozing or eating gum leaves on a gum tree

Many life forms Worldwide north, west, east and south

To Global Warming increased by human greed losing out

Our abuse of our Earth Mother is to all of our shame

The people of the future will have us to blame

They will not be praising us this is for sure

For the hardships because of our environmental legacy to them they must endure

From the Earth who does feed us we take and take and never give

Yet we do depend on her for to live.

We Learn As We Live

We learn as we live something new every day

And we never stop learning in truth one can say

And the more we know so little we know we come to realize

The one who knows everything not yet born from the mouth of the wise

Those who think they know everything are lucky indeed

Of any more knowledge they do not feel in need

Their sort in the World are no longer rare

Of how little they do know they are not aware

Lucky are those who treat knowledge as a friend

On the day we left school our learning did not end

A fact of our existence and fact never lie

We will be learning from life until the day we do die

Everyday we do live we do learn something new

And the lessons of life they are not in the few.

Conor Moynihan

In South Africa in under age swimming one of the best 

And never found to be wanting when put to the test

Conor Moynihan the son of Neil from near the Town of Millstreet

Against the best in the World may well yet compete

Due to his father's birthplace in Duhallow's green countryside

The people of Millstreet in Conor's achievements feel a sense of pride

Millstreet for even a parental connection to a champion swimmer as a place was previously unknown

One reason many there feel proud to claim Conor as one of their own

Great stories of Conor may yet be written and told

But sadly it will be for South Africa and not Ireland if he does win Olympic Gold

But the Irish their connection to winners like all others too celebrate

And so too it will be when young Conor his own history will create

It can be said of Conor that he has time on his side

And in swimming he may yet become famed Worldwide

To far greater things as a swimmer already on his way

In time he may not be distant from his glory day

His father Neil into a young man did grow

Near where old Finnow towards the Blackwaater flow 

It is true everything comes to those who does wait

And so too it will be with Conor if with swimming he keeps faith.

An Adviser

He asked me how much money for penning rhymes i receive

When i told him i do it for enjoyment me he did not believe 

He said anybody never does anything for anyone without pay

Money is all that matters in the World of today 

He said you must realize that times have changed from the past

The days of doing things for enjoyment did not seem to last

For one in your mid seventies you must realize

That doing things for enjoyment is not very wise

In this twenty first century when money counts for success

Doing something for enjoyment others does not impress

At least i did not have to pay for the unsolicited advice

Of one who likes the sound of his own voice

I thanked him for his advice and bid him good day

With another rhyme in my head as i went on my way.

In February By The Mountains

The dark brown water bird known as dipper of breast white as snow

That sings on the bank near where the rapids flow

His shrill song in Spring is silent today

When the grass of the morning is silvery gray

From the overnight frost of wintery February

And on the tall branches of a bare elm tree

The hungry rooks are cawing not much food for them to be found

In the depths of the Winter on the frost bitten ground

The woods looking bare and bird song one does not hear

In February by the mountains a cold time of year

A weather temperature high for the day of a chilly five degrees

And a freshening cold wind is soughing  in the bare deciduous trees

The cattle in farmyard sheds bellowing for silage or hay

At least six weeks left for them of their indoor stay

Still every day is one day nearer to Spring

When the nest building birds again will whistle and sing

And the swallows home to breed will be flying above the old fields again

Looking quite resplendent in their flowers after rain

But in February by the mountains from here far away

No songbirds are singing on bare trees today.

The Unsung Heroines And Heroes

For compassion and kindness it is the seed

Those who have love in them are lucky indeed

Of the needs of others they are aware

And their surplus of love are always willing to share

With those in life who are doing it tough

The homeless and hungry who at night sleep rough

They perform a good deed or two every day

For to be kind to others in life is their way

Though they never receive the credit they are due

To their higher selves they remain ever true

Those who are kind to others few seem to admire

But of singing their praises i for one cannot tire

Always helping the poor and the financially down

The unsung heroines and heroes of every town.

I Thought I Had Left Millstreet

I thought i had left Millstreet but Millstreet has not left me

For in my flights of fancy i often does see

Clara half cloaked in the gray fogs of rain

Of old memories the mental images remain

In Claraghatlea fields the Claramore Rill

With the silver tongue that is never still

Flowing onwards forever babbling on it's way

To join the Cails waters by night and by day

Mental images remain of where the waterways meet

In the green countryside by the Town of Millstreet

Often walked to there before time became my foe

Through old fields i loved in the long ago

I thought i had left Millstreet but Millstreet has not left me

As i still have the memories of the what used to be.

A Kind And Caring Person

A kind and caring person in her own sweet way

She performs a good deed or two every day

Mind games are a thing that she never does play

And of anyone she never has unkind things to say

She does not have a partner or is not any man's wife

And she does not have any biological children in her life

But the love that is in her with others she share

And people like her as ever seems quite rare

In the town one not seen as worthy of note

But her work free time to the helping of others she devote

In her mid fifties so caring and kind

A beautiful person with a beautiful mind

If everyone were like her how great this would be

For the betterment of humanity would you not agree.

Life will Go On

Live for today yesterday has gone

And tomorrow will dawn and life will go on

All we have are the memories of the what used to be

But that the now for us is all that does matter seems hard with to disagree

Who knows what the future for anyone will bring

Some of the young and many of the old will have lived their final Spring

Death does not differentiate between age and youth

On eternal life for any individual there is not any truth

The fact of the matter and fact never lie

Us humans are born as mortals and mortals do die

The longest human life in time not long in truth one can say

Famous and wealthy people are dying every day

But we can only live in the now and life does go on

And today at midnight will be in the forever gone.

In Covid Times

Of the neglect of the elderly stories written and told

In these times of covid it is not a good time to be old

In a nursing home with your room locked every day

That is quite under staffed and for it's workers poor take home pay

Stories of aged people neglect nowadays are not rare

These are the people the Government does fail in their duty of care

In nursing homes so many people of covid have died

This is not a cause for any National or community pride

People who worked hard when they were young

And sadly their praises have never been sung

On the physical decline and in their life's Fall

Their names will never appear on a memorial wall

In their nursing home rooms that are locked day and night

There is something about this that does not seem right.

Due To Climate Change

Due to Climate Change many species of  Nature's Life forms are becoming rare

Of this everybody does seem quite aware

Due to human created Global Warming weather temperatures are on the rise

And extinction of a species is forever as most people realize

Australian children of the future may never see

A koala eating gum leaves on a manna gum tree

Extinction for other life forms can be for humans too

For what we do to the Earth  that does feed us to our own selves we do

For our abuse of her our Earth Mother out of patience with us may run

And leave our corpses to fry in the heat of the sun

The Planet that feed us all we are putting under undue stress

In our endless stupid race for this thing known as success

The fate of Nature's life forms may be our fate too one day

For our abuse of the Earth that does feed us sadly future generation of people will pay.

Rabbits, Rats And Mice

Some people like their dog and their horse and their cat

And the mouse and the rabbit only more popular than the rat

A lot of damage is done by rats, rabbits and mice

To crops and food of  Nature's creatures not among those seen as nice

Rats, rabbits and mice to many not a source of joy

Every year some food and grain crops they do destroy

Though trappings and poisoning keep their numbers under control

Rats, rabbits and mice on the profits of farmers and gardeners take their financial toll

One of their sources for survival is that they constantly breed

The sexual desire in them is quite strong indeed

Of mice and rats along with rabbits it has been said

That they will still be in the World in the centuries ahead

Among the creatures of Nature not seen as the nice

They are disliked by many rabbits, rats and mice.

Not Any Surprise

Their greed for more money leads many to crime

And many because of their greed for cash serving prison time

And it is mostly wealthy people operate scams for money not those in poverty

That greed can become criminally addictive is how it seems to be

He stole from the company he worked for a million or more

Some stories as this you would have heard of before

Last year sentenced to twelve years in jail in time quite a span

One who was admired by many is now a tainted man

He was not short of money this was not his need

For to become wealthier by crime his inspiration was greed

Among the very wealthy crime is on the rise

And this in itself is not any surprise.

No Greater Teacher Than Life

 I have learned more since as a young teenager i left school

Far north of this countryside near Warrnambool

From life by far the greatest teacher of all

The one everyone has been learning from before they learned how to crawl

Yes than life no greater teacher in truth one can say

And of her we do learn something new every day

Yet the more we do learn the more we come to realize

That we do know so little this not a surprise

Those who believe they know everything are quite lucky indeed

Since of any more knowledge they do not feel in need

Learning should not end for anybody the day they receive their university degree

In life we never stop learning is how it seems to be

No greater teacher than life despite what some does say

From her we do learn something new every day.

Noise

Of places to escape from twenty first century noise not many today

And this seems a sad thing for to have to say

With the noise volume getting louder by the year

The songs of the birds getting harder to hear

In noise there is money by many we are told

But this is not wisdom from the days of old

Noise pollution is preventing some species of birds for to breed

The males to mate to hear other males singing in them there is the need

In a wood near a big freeway in London going back years ago

That the chaffinches there were not breeding happens to be so

The constant loud noise of traffic on the nearby freeway

Was the reason for this environmental scientists did say

Some aspects of human progress we ought not to celebrate

One of these the constant loud noise that we do create.

It Is True Money

It is true money is quite important but nonetheless

It is not your guarantee to moments of happiness

Than it good health more important is how it seems to me

Though many with this doubtless would disagree

In the Human World money or lack of it is a source for crime

And many because of it serve prison time

You are wrong in thinking if you believe money will bring you happiness

As it can be a source for worry and stress

But whoever first said it is better  to be wealthy and unhappy  than poor and unhappy for saying it credit is due

For she or he was saying what happens to be true

You will not hear many say of money we do need less

And those with lots of it and all that goes with it many does impress

Most people look on it as the greatest form of human success

Though life is the greatest gift that anyone does possess.

Millions Are Hungry

Millions are hungry and homeless Worldwide

The people who do not have a god on their side

Born to poor parents in their family history

They are destined to live a life of poverty

Mere survival for them in life is their fight

So many things about the workings of humanity that does not seem right

In a fair Human World it would not be this way

But sadly the gap between the wealthy and poor keeps on widening by the day

So many will try to sleep hungry tonight their roof is the sky

Their circumstance of birth a fair go in life of them did deny

Even in so called wealthy Countries many are doing it tough

Homeless and hungry and at night sleeping rough

In the Human World of the twenty first century poverty is rife

And far too many only know of a miserable life.

On Walter De La Mare's 'Silver'

Walter De La Mare looked up at the starlit sky

Watching the moon slowly drifting by

The silent wanderer of the night 

Creating the image of silver in it's magical faint light

The poem he named 'Silver' was stirring in his head

One of his many to outlive him when he was long dead

In what was ordinary to many beauty the poet see

Silver became one of his many poetic gifts to humanity

Silver a poem that on reading that has brought joy

To many a schoolgoing girl and boy

The beauty in the poets words alive today

A great poem is forever seems true to say

And though life from Walter De La Mare's body in the long forever gone

One of his many great poems 'Silver' today lives on.

An Octogenarian Migrant

Some of those he went to school with where the deceased are does lay

And some like him in the hometown did not stay

Their yearn for travel took them to elsewhere

And they will live out their lives in the big World out there

Though memories of the past never move him to tears

He has many stories of his bygone years

And of the games with his young friends he did play

In the public park of his hometown far away

A grandfather in his early eighties divorced from his wife

Nowadays she has a younger man in her life

He feels quite contented living on his own

Though of better days in life of he surely has known

For ageing in wrinkles and hair loss the price we do pay

The hair on his balding head is silver gray

But he is not affected by old person pride

Since his signs of ageing he does not try to hide

Though time on the body it's own story does tell

For one of his age physically he looks well

Whenever i meet him he always smiles and says good day

The likeable fellow from the town far away.

Of Us And They

In this Human World we live in of us and they

Tribal, religious, political, racial and cultural divisions on the increase by the day

But the one thing we all should be united on us even seem to divide

Our Earth Mother who does feed us all Worldwide

Many of us see fit to abuse her for our financial gain

And why this should be is beyond me to explain

For our abuse of our Earth Mother future generations of people will pay

In famines and shortage of clean water and of us will not have nice things to say

For the hardships they will endure they will have us to blame

How we treat our Earth Mother is to all of our shame

We have been learning from life before we learned how to crawl

And we are divided among ourselves and in our relationship to the one who feeds us all

And future generations of people may well have to pay

For our polarization in the World of us and they.

Black Faced Cuckoo Shrikes

Of mostly gray feathers with dark around the face

They like to move around from place to place 

Medium dove sized birds known to most as black faced cuckoo shrike

They do not seem to have a look alike

On alighting on a branch it seems to be their thing

To shuffle their wings thus some call them shufflewing

In many places birds one does not see every day

As some of them are quite migratory in their way

Insects in  flight and on trees they hunt and catch to eat

And to their taste buds ripened fruits a tasty treat

In small saucer shaped nest of sticks bound with spider webs on fork of tree

The female lay green dotted eggs mostly two sometimes three

Mostly silent with a brief low churring song

But from once seen and heard you will never again get them wrong

To look different from other birds their Nature's claim to fame

Black faced cuckoo shrikes for them a common name.

Just To Be Like Them

The wealthy and famous so many admire

And just to be like them in life their desire

But they fail to realize that for one to win big many does have to lose

Though losing is the thing anyone does not choose

This is how it  was and it is and how it always will stay

For the winners there is always the loudest hooray

Many view as success financial gain 

And this in itself is not hard to explain

Since with the saying money speaks every language one can only agree

Suppose this is how it is and how it always will be

Though everyone wants to be wealthy and famous in truth one can say

There has to be losers life works in this waay

And in a Human World where one person's loss is another's gain

Far more losers than winners the fact does remain.

On Nature

Even people with their universities degrees

And these things do not grow on bushes and trees

Will tell you the one with ways of her own

That goes by the name of Nature much remains as unknown

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

That of her you know little this not a surprise

Her lessons are many in truth one can say

And of her we do learn something new every day

And her secrets to say the least not in the few

And this is not saying anything that is new

The reality she creates quite amazing to see

She helps Mother Earth grow a beautiful tree

An ally of Mother Earth the one who feeds all

Life forms including us humans from the great to the small.

If Any Good Thing For Others

You believe there is none as great as you

And you never pay others the respect they are due

But from your higher self you are further away

Than the financially poorest person in your town today

As a high achiever you may be known

And your admirers in numbers in the town have grown

Many people have the accumulation of money in their idea of success

But sadly the many are not hard to impress

Those like you who only live for themselves help to increase the gap in the social divide

Sad for to say are not rare Worldwide

On the so called high achievers ladder like them you may have climbed far

But the size of your home or the size of your car

Of you only say your higher self is far from you

If any good thing for others you never choose to do.

I Lack In The Desire

A truth of my existence i too have to face

That i could do more to make the World we live in a far better place

On the ladder of goodness to climb i have far

You will only find my sort where the ordinary are

I am not one of those to go out of my way

To help those in need of helping every day

Though the kind and the caring i greatly admire

For to be like them i lack in the desire

Kindness and compassion and empathy is in people in varying degrees

Some people go to far Countries to refugee camps for to help the Stateless refugees

Whilst some in their hometown who choose to stay

The poor and the hungry and homeless do help every day

And though of singing their praises i never could tire

To be like them in goodness and kindness i lack in the desire.

Old John

The octogenarian John he has learned from life

Though he does not have children or a partner or wife

He was not short of lovers in his physical prime

Though this is going back many Seasons in time

Seven decades ago in the city of Warrnambool

Not one of the bright boys of the primary school

But John says on the day he left school his education began

And he is learning from life even as an ageing man

Old John as a younger man travelled far and wide

And worked in big cities and in towns of the countryside

He says the school of life is the greatest school of all

And from life he is learning into his life's Fall

John in his early eighties who lives on his own

Says of life and her ways there is much to be known.

On Crows

Those who will tell you that you will not find brains in a crow

Of Nature and her ways so little do know

Of glossy black feathers not the prettiest by sight

But corvids are clever and mentally bright

Of most other creatures crows in problem solving ahead

On the verges of Warrnambool lake i have seen them dip hard crusted bread

To soften to eat an amazing sight indeed

Of corvid intelligence what more proof does one need

Where other species of  birds struggle to survive

In the harshest of environments corvids seem to thrive

Among Nature's finest songsters they will never be known

But they are very clever with ways of their own

Birds of village, town and city and the countryside

Different species of them known to exist Worldwide.

For His Property And Money

For his property and money many him did admire

And just to be like him in life their desire

But the admiration of others he does not know of today

Since only earthworms live where the deceased does lay

He had not made a will which did give rise to hate

Between his wife, daughter and son who in court fight for his estate

Of the division of his money and assets they could not agree

Material things between people can cause problems as most would agree

Life's Reaper for him his end did decide

In his late fifties of a heart attack he suddenly died

His family his money and assets could not agree to share

Court cases over such matters nowadays are not rare

Because he did not have a will his son and his daughter and their mother his wife

In court disputing his wealth and are enemies for life.

Memories Of A Pipit's Nest

Good memories live on only true to say

I still visualize that balmy evening in May

The old fields lush and green in the prime of the Spring

And the wildborn nesting birds did whistle and sing

A brown gray speckled bird half of the size of a full grown thrush

Flew upwards from a patch of rush

I carefully did search around the rush covered ground

And a cup shaped nest of dried grass found 

In it four pink skinned nestlings young, blind and bare

Of a bird of the fields her sort not rare

The pipit's at most a few days old family

A gift of Nature for to live in memory

With gaping mouths the meadow pipits brood

Thoughts i was mother and were begging for food

But they quickly tired of begging and went back to rest

And were soon fast asleep in their cosy nest

Their mum nearby perched on a sapling tree

Was chirping aloud continually

She worried that a human to her young was near

And for their safety she naturally did fear

Of my past memories of Nature one of the best

I left her for to return to her nest

A memory from long ago and far away

That does remain fresh in me today.