Francis Duggan Poems

Politics in the Republic of Ireland with any joy I can't recall
Nepotism rife in the ranks of the three major parties Labour, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail
Jobs for their kin and their mates only Irish Politicians in their ways so small
In Politics since my time in Ireland suppose things would not have changed much at all
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Who is or is not a Poet why ask me since I would not even know
Some say that poets are born not made and though this may well be so
Many have their own opinions on who should be of literary note
But most who do pen poetry refer to themselves as Poet.
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On the tall mountain ash trees from here far away
The white cockatoos are squawking in Selby today
And the yellow eyed pied currawong are singing again
Some refer to them as the dark birds of rain.
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Respect to the poor fellow show
His life story you do not know
Because he is homeless of him does not say
That he is bad in any way.
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To live reasonably happy is my idea of success
Life is too short for worry and for stress
The more you worry the more your worries grow
And unhappiness is one none wish to know
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Dear friends and good people we may never more see
But they remain with us in our memory
In our thoughts they remain young as the friends we did know
The friends we grew up with many decades ago.
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A good mother to her children and to Tim Lehane a good wife
Johanna worked hard all of her working life
From Aubane near Mushera in the flesh she has gone
But good memories of her in her family and friends will live on
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A mentor to his race and the pride of his tribe
Jack Davis the poet and Indigenous scribe
The ex stockman from Yarloop in his lifetime knew fame
And in Australian literature his lives as a legendary name
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The good or bad in us in death we leave behind
The decent remembered for being good and kind
The creative remembered for what they did create
But the despotic criminal none celebrate.
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The roads of life I have journeyed up and down
Since I left Claragahatlea a mile from Millstreet Town
But in my flights of fancy the past comes to me
And remembered faces again I do see
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