Francis Duggan Poems

The river from Kippagh in storm waters of brown
Bank high in the old fields west of Millstreet Town
From recent heavy rain on this January day
And stealing down Clara the rain fogs of gray
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Nostalgia in time ebbs does seem true to say
From my first home place i have been so long away
But in Claraghatlea groves in the prime of the spring
The wild birds of Nature without me do sing
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If you want to become a member of Tony Abbott's Team Australia go to the local pubs
And become a paid up member of the local cricket and football clubs
And heap praise on the ex Prime Minister for his stand against refugees
And unionized workers who pay their union fees
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Near perfect women are rare and wise men are few
One might say that this is not anything new
And people with big egos plentiful everywhere
There are billions of them in the big World out there
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People with big egos around me everywhere
And so many more in the big World out there
Who think they are special in every way
Their sort i happen to meet every day
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I tell everybody that i hail from Millstreet
From the green countryside where the waterways meet
But from there i have been long gone and i live far away
And only for Michael Cashman there i would be forgotten today
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Some tell me since for it you never receive any pay
Is it not time that you thought of giving rhyming away
But they do not understand that it is not for fame or money that i pen rhyme
And on what i do love doing why should i call time
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You may never climb Everest or win Olympic Gold
And your life story in book form may never be told
And though your dreams of greatness for you may never become reality
You only can be the best that you can be
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Some children to adulthood do not survive
Those who reach three score and ten years are lucky to be alive
And to survive to beyond your eight decade you need great health and good luck on your side
So many years younger than they are have died
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White butterflies seemingly dancing in the breeze
And the silver billed magpies warbling on the sunlit trees
The warm air full of the buzzing of flies and nectar gathering bees
And the weather temperatures just over a pleasant twenty degrees
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