Francis Duggan Poems

Valentina's Solodky's sixtieth birthday she surely does not look her age
She is such a wonderful lady the whole World one might say is her stage
She looks more like one in her forties so happy and bright and carefree
She is such a fun loving person and none more engaging than she.
...

The constant noise of the traffic on the busy freeway
But in the parks of Glen Iris on this pleasant Spring day
The mynas are singing on the bushes and trees
Their voices are carrying in the freshening morning breeze.
...

In the calm of the late evening the mosquitoes bite
And the restless moths they are constantly in flight
As they circle and circle the orange street light
Seems a long way from here to Duhallow tonight.
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The parks and paddocks lush and green wildflowers bloom by the roadway
And birds are singing in the wood it is a lovely day
A forecast low of nineteen and a high of twenty three
And pink flowers in large clusters on the rhododendron tree,
...

The people who run the Government of the Nation have us believe life without them would not go on
But there will be life in the Nation when from politics they have long gone
And there will be birth, death and suffering and there will be laughter and tears
When they will be long with the departed from this day a century of years.
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When Laura talks of her deceased husband Trevor she always does burst into tears
Though he is not fresh in his grave now since he has been dead for four years
And though only in her early fifties faithful to his memory she'll remain
She only loved once she will tell you and she will never love again.
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The one with the disadvantage is the one slow to begin
And as in horse and greyhound racing the favourite doesn't always win
And sometimes the outsider can storm into first place
For to become another champion by winning the great race.
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He is known as the Local love poet laureate he has penned thousands of poems to his wife
But perhaps one might do him a favour to remind him that love is only one aspect of life
A poet should write on many subjects so much in life on which to write
Such as the fauna and flora of Nature the wind and the rain and sunlight.
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He said to me you're a negative person and such negative things you do say
Spiritually you are poverty stricken and to a God you do not pray
You seem negative towards wealthy people but what use are you to the poor
When you find life such a great battle and you yourself not financially secure.
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You are damned if you do and you are damned if you don't
And you are damned if you will and you are damned if you won't
And you are damned if you say yes and you are damned if you say no
Since big brother is watching and all about you he know.
...