He stood in a corner
At the back of the church
This statue of St Francis
Come to life
I stood in front of this priest
Eyes on his clasped hands
I voiced my confession
I raised my eyes to
This statue of St Francis.
We Do Things Differently
We do things differently
In this century
We do things differently
Since my childhood days
we do things differently
Since my teenage years
we do things differently
Since I became an adult
We do things differently
Now in my autumn years
We do things differently
Our world is in chaos
We do things differently.
Cavan
Visiting Dad’s home town of
Ballyjamesduff Co Cavan
We visited Moodogue Lane
Eight cottages stood in this lane
Built one hundred years ago
In one of these cottages
Our dad and his brother were born
Dad took us on a walk
To his old school
He told us of his childhood
Milking cows and serving mass
Before walking to school barefoot.
Memorable
She could not remember
If I won stars at school
To cover up she said
You were a genius
I’m still no fool
Just Smile And …
Just Smile and act like everything’s fine
Not easy when you’re faced with a terminal
Cancer diagnosis
But we did it.
Did Mum know, we later debated
It was spring
By summer she would be gone from us
We walked towards the ward doors
Pushed them open
Just smile and …
Uncle’s Half Acre Senryu
uncle’s Half acre
we run between
bales of gold
Feels Like I Have Been Here Before
When I was a child it was very rare for my da to take me anywhere without my ma, some men seemed to be like that back then. So I’ve heard. So I was surprised when my da and his friend Tom took me along on their trip to Greystones. The bus was rickety and rocked alarmingly along the road, this was in the seventies. When we eventually arrived at the house, a tall lady welcomed us in. We had never met before. In her sitting room the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I had the feeling I had been in this house before. My child’s mind was shocked. We had never been to Greystones I knew. Yes we had been to Howth and Cavan but definitely not Greystones. Over the years the woman’s features have faded, but not that feeling of being in her house previously. I have wondered through the years if I lived in that house in a past life.
Suburbia
I was a suburbia lawn mower
Ma said the garden was like a tennis court
Which pleased her.
I would mow the lawn three times
I was a suburbia lawn mower
I would dream as I mowed
The sun beaming down on me
I inherited this job after da died
I was a suburbia lawn mower
Now living in an apartment
I am a redundant lawn mower
I watch as others mow their lawns.
Long Night Senryu
long Night
my hand lies on mum’s arm
in the hospice ward
It’s Mine, You Can’t Have It
It’s mine, you can’t have it, Gina screamed at the little boy who wanted her lunch yet again. I only want half of your sandwich, mines soggy he Shouted. Well, its mine, you can’t have it, Gina shouted back at Tomo. A teacher approached the two warring pupils. What’s going on here? Gina opened her mouth, teacher, Tomo wants… Years later, Gina patrolled the playground of the school she went to as a child. A little girls scream reached her ears, it’s mine, you can’t have it. Gina turned to see two pupils fighting over a book, pulling with all their strength, shouting into each others face. Gina had a sudden flash back to her altercation with a boy named Tomo, now her husband.
bercatliz 