Francis Duggan Poems

I will oppose the men of war until the Reaper takes me
Until the breath that gives me life it finally forsakes me
I'll use words for to oppose them they send the young to battle
To fight for the colour of their National flag and die like slaughtered cattle.
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Do not tell him of your sorrows of sorrows he has known enough
He was brought up the hard way and he has known it tough
A child of drug addicted parents and a street kid at thirteen
He spend time in reform school and tough times he has seen.
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A wave from Jimmy Sullivan in Millstreet far away
A nice and spontaneous gesture that did help to make my day
From Clara road one must presume in view of Clara hill
It brought back the old memories as if time had stood still.
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It will not matter to me when I've lived my last day
If I am burned to ashes or under black earth lay
Or if I'm not remembered and my praises are unsung
The old they die of old age and the good they say die young.
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You sing your Country's anthem and you wave your Country's flag
And of Olympic medals won by your Nation's athletes you like to have your brag
But come tomorrow morning no wealthier you will be
Though you have cheered on strangers to their greatest victory.
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The fruits of your life have gone to poor seed
And others say of you that you have failed to succeed
But the praise or the scorn of others you don't need
For your life alone it is your's for to lead
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He is not well known in his local pub
Or he is not a member of the football club
He likes a few beers though cigarettes he doesn't smoke
He is known what some do call your average bloke.
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Goodbye to the old hill of wallaby and roo
And to the familiar call of the weerloo
And farewell to the paddocks so stony and brown
North, south, east and west of the old country town,
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At a time of your life when you need peace of mind
You feel lady luck to you is not so kind
And money problems cause you worry and stress
And so sad for you in a financial mess.
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Where the tall mountain ash on the high ground they seem to touch the very sky
They now call it The Yarra Ranges though Sherbrooke it once was known by
Places such as Sherbrooke, Belgrave and Kallista in fancy i often do see
Those old wooded hills east of Melbourne will not fade from my memory.
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