Francis Duggan Poems

When I was going to primary school in Millstreet John Cahill then was a middle aged man
He lived I would say till his early nineties in human years in time a lengthy span
He and his wife raised their children in Coolikerane a hard working man one of integrity
One of the good people I recall from my boyhood that I am never more destined to see,
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Of love and it's ways little I seem to know
Though some say between man and woman 'tis a feeling that does grow
And others say love can be born at first sight
On such thinking I cannot tell wrong from right,
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'Tis of my own choice that I live far away
From where I was raised and first saw light of day
But not every migrant as lucky as me
So spare a thought for every poor refugee.
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From living life it does seem we learn every day
And for our life experiences some price we have to pay
We learn from our every mistake though to us they come at a cost
And little point in lamenting on to us what has been lost,
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Koroit in Victoria of widespread renown
It is said of it 'tis an old Irish Town
And though festivals of Irish culture held there every year
On the streets of Koroit a word such as 'begorragh' you are unlikely to hear.
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The one who has little will tell you life's fine
He still drinks his liquor though the cheapest of wine
But to his taste buds it does seem quite okay
Life is what you make of it as some are known to say.
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My own sins and sins against me I wish to forgive
And follow the guidelines of live and let live
And get on with my life and live for today
Though to Karma for my sins I know I must pay
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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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On listening to the news on radio today
A report from the Arctic far away
That starving polar bears are killing and eating their own kind
Since seals due to thinning ice for them are hard to find
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I pity everybody who is Homeless and I pity every Stateless refugee
And I pity those who have a drug addiction these people they are far worse off than me
And though I do find life an uphill battle compared to them I ought not to complain
And to say the least it is quite disappointing when from others suffering some do stand to gain.
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