Clearwater Poem by Matt Mooney

Dubh Linn -meaning 'black pool'
is Dublin's ancient name.
its streams of man made media
spread worldwide:
tales of trigger happy gangsters
and of yet another murder case
tainting all our newsreels red
or of Flood and of Moriarty-
the tribunals of our state
with all their tribulations:
sagas far too long, unravelling reputations,
where it’s true to say today as ever
‘the higher up you go the further that you fall’
on the road to your damnation.



Ten times raised a step
till the ladder is kicked beneath you;
there your municipality lying flat
while someone else gets fat-
none more so
than the lawyers doing the lynching.


Where is the dignity of man
when an old mans hands are manacled;
to be mocked in prison in the press,
though meanwhile many murders
go unpunished in the land
for the want of solid evidence
from those afraid to take the stand.


I hereby propose a motion
that the Spike, a conical silver symbol
illuminating the night sky
overlooking all of Dublin city,
can do a lot to help us
in the hour of all our need;
it could in advance of violence
see that all assassins,
from it’s clear and lofty view,
are stricken by a flashing light
until the guards can come.

The second thing this Spike can do
will be to block the media
from making daily hay
of other people’s sad mistakes
and never taking time to think
what it would be like for them
to be in print themselves;

But the third task for our silver Spike,
for crying out loud,
is to see that all pickpockets,
hapless down and outs
or wealth accumulating conmen,
are picked out from the crowd.

In the aboriginal Dreamtime
and wise old Indian days,
among the wonders of creation,
which they never did defile,
their placenames echoed nature’s heart
with a message for all time-
and we could simply do the same.

Now we’ll infuse the Spike in Dublin
with the spirit of St. Patrick
and we’ll pray to him pro patria
to purify our State;
we’ll then rename it in the morning,
baptising it Clearwater
in the old original way.
With the new name boldly flying
on a streamer from it’s side,
the silver torch tomorrow night,
from it’s inner city site,
Will stir the soul of Ireland
And restore our national pride.