Francis Duggan Christmas Poems

The smoke of the barby, the smell of frying meat
And even in the shade we perspire in the heat
And I scratch where the mozzies are biting my feet
Far distant from Ireland, North Cork and Millstreet.
...

Mistletoe hang from the ceiling
And somehow it gets me to feeling
That the Season of Christmas is here
A time of enjoyment and cheer.
...

Christmas morning here in Melbourne I sit here in Bourke Street Mall
And of all of the days of Christmas this is the quietest day of all
And old Chrismas tunes from Myers fill the peaceful morning air
And the bells of nearby church house ring the faithful in for prayer.
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The fields on either side of Finnow cloaked in gray
And the turkey cooking for dinner on Christmas Day
And farmer say the frost is quite severe
But such expected at this time of year.
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It's not like Christmas I knew years ago
The Irish Christmas that I used to know
When Caherbarnagh peaks are capped with snow
And cold winds from the mountains inland blow.
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We were having a nice party lots of happiness and cheer
Lots of food and stout and spirits many different brands of beer
We were feasting and making merry Christmas comes but once a
year
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The evening is warm of only a slight breeze
On a weather temperature high of over thirty degrees
In the parkland after their barbeque Christmas dinner the families cricket play
On a typical enough indeed evening of Christmas day
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It is cold and wet by the mountains today
In the farmyard sheds cattle are bellowing for silage or hay
People for their Christmas dinner enjoy vegetables and turkey and red meat
And as a dessert cream and plum pudding eat
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Above the Town of Maldon in a sky of blue and gray
The sun is getting warmer on the morning of Christmas Day
The magpies songs are carrying in the freshening mountain breeze
Soughing in the leafy branches of the gum and wattle trees
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No matter what the weather every Christmas Day
Hardy people from Aubane and surrounds to the cross on Mushera's summit climb their way
At a time of year in Mushera that can be windy, wet and cold
For to take on such a mission one would have to be quite bold
...

On Christmas Day in south western Victoria it is thirty five degrees
And it is even warm in the shade of the trees
Though the paddocks scenting sweetly of freshly mowed grass for hay
To be out of doors it is not a very nice day
...

Christmas Eve in the Moyne Shire and scarce a puff of breeze
Less than an hour from sunset it is over thirty degrees
The warm air full of the buzzing of small bush flies and bees
As the last rays of the evening sun are retreating from the trees
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On the streets the cars are buzzing up and down
On Christmas Eve in Millstreet Town
In festive mood the Town aglow
In Christmas lights on small trees by almost every window
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No sign of frost or snow in the Moyne Shire only the sweet scent of grass mowed for hay
The weather warm and rather humid on this December Christmas Day
The black cattle out of the sunshine chewing their cuds in the shade of the trees
Even in the shade it is warm well over thirty degrees
...

People from Aubane and other parts of Millstreet Parish on the morning of Christmas Day
Climb to the summit of Mushera Mountain quite a daunting task one has to say
For those who sponsor them for their favorite charity for this credit in heaps they are due
To climb Mushera in the depths of Winter to a cause one would have to be true
...

A time of feasting and drinking and Santa and toys
And a joyful occasion for many young girls and boys
When they find their presents on the Christmas tree
So kind is old Santa and so full of generosity
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The weather is warm though thunder rain overnight
And in the morning of Christmas warmth in the sunlight
It is looking like a warm and humid Christmas Day
Though the weather forecast has more thunder rain on the way
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The weather temperature 31 degrees on an Aussie coastal Christmas Day
With their lunch eaten the bronzed sun worshippers on the sunlit beach do lay
Slightly hung over after drinking and partying on Christmas Eve Night
Conditions quite ideal for improving their sun tans in the warm sunlight
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Old Clara is in his December hat of snow
And Finnow from the high country bank high does flow
On towards the Blackwater it rumbles on down
In bare rushy wet fields just west of Millstreet Town
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Old Clara is in his December hat of snow
And Finnow from the high country bank high does flow
On towards the Blackwater it rumbles on down
In bare rushy wet fields just west of Millstreet Town
...

Old Clara is in his December hat of snow
And Finnow from the high country bank high does flow
On towards the Blackwater it rumbles on down
In bare rushy wet fields just west of Millstreet Town
...

The grass brown to white like the colour of hay
And the weather forecast reads a cool Christmas Day
And the rain overnight was not drought breaking rain
For tomorrow tis back to dry and warm again,
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From where the Christmas spirit does seem far away
Christmas day on Poverty Street just another day
No decorations, Santa or carol singers on the side of the town
On the street where only the friendless and homeless do walk up and down
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Christmas Day in Illowa five kilometers from Koroit Town
Some of the paddocks of late mown for hay are looking a pale brown
The warm air is full of the buzzings of bush flies and nectar gathering bees
And the cattle from the sun's heat shelter in the cool shade of the trees
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Christmas Day in south west Victoria and few cars pass up and down
On Commercial Road the main street of quiet old Koroit Town
The shops and pubs closed for the day perhaps the quietest of the year
On a day that is warm and sunny the sky is blue and clear
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The sun glows in the blue sky on this warm Christmas Day
And children in the Townpark are laughing at their play
The temperature near to perfect around 22 degrees
And white butterflies are flitting around the blossoming trees
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In the park after eating barbequed fry the family a game of cricket play
In the warmth of the sunshine of an Aussie Christmas Day
A perfect day for Christmas around 24 degrees
On an afternoon made pleasant by a cool and freshening breeze
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I only have memories of Christmas of the Christmases I used to know
When Clara by the Town of Millstreet wore his hat of December snow
And the bare fields and bare woods were echoing to the harsh caws of the silver back crow
And down from the Boggeragh Ranges the cold winds of December blow
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Memories of a childhood Christmas for a lifetime we enjoy
And I often recall Christmas as a child in Lisnaboy
Santa left his bag of presents by the porch door in the moonlight
When the air was damp and frosty on the eve of Christmas Night
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You've heard it said often by others before
That Christmas is for the wealthy that and nothing more
No parties for those who are in dire poverty
Their Christmas Day dinner perhaps bread and tea.
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No alcohol by law to be consumed in public places on Christmas Day
But indoors people do eat and drink their cares away
In the coolness of their verandahs out of the sunshine
The families and friends eat and get merry on beer, whiskey and wine
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With a dozen stubbies of beer Billy is off to the neighbour's party
For to celebrate the eve of Christmas day
Where they will have a sing song get drunk and be merry
Each to their own as some are known to say.
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She won't be going home for Christmas as she doesn't have a home to go to
And she is one of many and far too many who
Do not have a Homeland or a home to go to doesn't life seem so unfair
And thousands poverty stricken to every millionaire.
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A Christmas card from a friend far away
It takes me back again to boyhood day
She was a woman when I was young boy
Some forty years ago how time does fly.
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A hot and a humid afternoon and the temperatures still soar
It was 31 an hour ago and now it's 34
Even for Belgrave in Victoria a warm Christmas Day
And the dogs are panting in the shade too hot for them to play.
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A high of twenty five degrees that's what the forecast say
And in the afternoon a soothing breeze a perfect Christmas Day
Most people dine outdoors today enjoy their food and beer
And they make the most of Christmas Day it comes but once a year.
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She will be home in Glasgow in Scotland far away
For the carving of the turkey with her family on Christmas Day
When the Parklands in her Hometown with frost are hoary gray
Nostalgia and wanderlust not that far apart they say.
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December and the trees are bare
And breath of Winter in the air
And holy, holy Christmas Day
One day less than a week away.
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The frost had left the windows looking gray
And no bird called at the first light of day
And the only sounds in yard at Claraghatlea
Made by cows in byre who bellowed for their hay.
...