Francis Duggan Poems

The old bush poets of Gippsland are bowing to father time
But they retain their genius and their marvellous gift of rhyme
In their rural style akubra hats a breed all of their own
They still write poems of their boyhood years and the bushmen they have known.
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Bess O Brice from Black Oak Lane
She was lovely in her prime
But a mental break down has left it's stain
And she has aged before her time.
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He hails from Rotorua Jomo the Maori from the North Island all of those miles away
The old Town where the hot springs and the mud pools keep bubbling up steam every night and day
And though he's lived now for twenty years in Australia his heritage he never will deny
He still talks of his old Homeland New Zealand and he'll be a kiwi till the day he die.
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I am just a peasant fellow without pretension to renown
But in some ways I feel lucky I was raised near Millstreet Town
And if anybody ask me where are you from anyway?
I tell them I come from Millstreet from a place called Claraghatlea.
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The past is past the many seem to say
But some good memories with us tend to stay
And I have memories from a by gone day
Near Millstreet Town so many miles away.
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He said in writing doggerel yourself you immerse
And I must say that you write such trashy verse
And you waste such effort and such precious time
In writing reams and reams of slipshod rhyme.
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Good on you there dear C McCoy
You spread the simple gift of joy
You sing so well your voice so clear
And pleasing to the listening ear.
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Some folk say God loves a sinner go tell that to Katie Kane
With a face that's cracked and wrinkled from the biting winds and rain
She is one of life's great losers on herself she's made life tough
Shabby dressed and looking weary from long nights of sleeping rough.
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Amazing how a song can stir up memories
And only lately heard a ballad singer sing
A famous song written by Brian McMahon
For Ireland's greatest hurler Christy Ring.
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Goodbye to cloudy skies and wind and rain
And so nice to see the sun shine out again
Four days of rain and river flowing bank high
And welcome sun you brighten up the sky.
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