Francis Duggan Poems

In dykes and drains of Claraghatlea
By the rank rushes hid away
The snipe are probing for their prey
Amongst the brown mud and the grey.
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Enough talk of sports and politics of late that's all we hear about
Of the Football Finals and the Federal Election we are left in little doubt
That these things should be seen as important quite important to us all
But not everybody is interested in politics and football.
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He said your angry verses we do not wish to hear
'Tis only poets and poetesses to read their poems are welcome here
You write with so much crudity your verses are slipshod
You insult some great people and you even insult God.
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The one without sin ought be first to cast the stone
And the one with courage stands there all alone
A silent figure before the jeering crowd
For his principles he refuses to be cowed.
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This Country is divided or so 'twould seem to me
Between the haves and have nots and would you not agree
That most of those known as Howard's battlers are middle to upper middle class
Those who have never felt so hungry that they have felt like eating grass.
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Those who take hostages and behead them are the cowardliest of men
For their cause in this way sympathy they cannot hope to win
For themselves they sow the worst of foredoom if for their heinous crimes they do not pay
Then the bad karma they've sown for themselves will catch up with them one day.
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Jim J he complains he is hard done by life
His once best mate young Michael makes love to his wife
She has filed for a divorce their marriage at an end
He trusted his wife and he trusted his friend.
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I believed there was a heaven beyond the sky
Where all good souls go to on the day they die
And that hell was for those who murder, cheat and lie
But that was years back when I was a young boy.
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Though you never hear him say that life is unfair
Luigi the old bloke with the silver hair
He is one of those who knows it quite tough
Most of his life's journey has been very rough
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The red jersey of Cork with pride he does wear
Mark Ellis of Millstreet a great hurling player
The first of his club such an honor to achieve
The keys to his Hometown he ought to receive
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