Francis Duggan Poems

From the high ground of Claramore the old rill gurgles down
Through flatter fields of Claraghatlea a mile from Millstreet Town
And robin on the hedgerow sing his brief song of the Fall
And no mistaking the magpie by his hoarse and chattering call,
...

Why do we always have with us this sense of self esteem
When to the eyes of the judgemental we are not what we seem
Many dream of wealth and success on their highway to renown
But for the one that builds you up there are two to drag you down.
...

O'er an old rushy field in Duhallow like a tiny speck in the sky
A little brown skylark is carolling as up towards the gray clouds he fly
Till out of my sight he has vanished though his pleasant song I still hear
In the silent sky his voice echo so beautifully natural and clear.
...

A fellow not fired by ambition than him not a lazier one
But one woman always will love him the mother will stand by her son
Others criticize him for his lack of motivation but the mother her boy will defend
In her eyes he is a true champion she will always be his greatest friend.
...

So much of his time and effort has been wasted 'twould seem
And his lack of success bad for his self esteem
The glory he dreamed of to him never came
And he remains anonmyous due to his lack of fame.
...

All he has left are the memories the memories of what used to be
Of where he grew into manhood in the Village by the Atlantic sea
Where everybody knew everybody everyone in the Village he did know
There now he would be a stranger since he left there a long time ago.
...

For one who often kneels and prays to God
I must say some of your ideas do seem odd
When you say all of those with a different God to your's are wrong
To a narrow church 'twould seem you do belong.
...

The future belong to the children their best years of them lay ahead
And though for some from humble beginnings life's pathways to glory have led
The children born of wealthy parents in life are advantaged
with a huge head start
...

The one who served me in McDonalds a brown haired lass her eyes were blue
To me she did seem very friendly some would say too good to be true
She served me with a happy giggle to such memories one does like to cling
A small wall plate on the wall at McDonalds states a smile doesn't cost one a thing.
...

She has lived with many men in her time a mother but never a wife
And she knows about the great battles that are part and parcel of life
She has recovered from major heart surgery brought on by a massive heart attack
And she cannot be called a quitter when down she rises and she fights back.
...