I Have Never Poem by Francis Duggan

I have never been a soldier and risked my life in war
And I'm not a well travelled person though in miles I do live far
From the Land where I was born in where I first saw light of day
By the windswept Boggeragh Mountains north of here and far away.

I have never been good at sports never much of an athlete
Never even ran a place once in races in I did compete
Always finished a tail ender such a feeling never sweet
And I left it to the others to win glory for Millstreet.

Yet the heroes of my young years they are moving slow today
Willie Neenan, Paddy Byrne, Willie Shine and Pat O Shea
For their athletic endeavours they have Championship medals for to show
And they brought glory to Duhallow but that now seems long ago.

I've not been much good at writing though I've given it my best try
Just your average poetaster there are many more like I
But then poets they are not plentiful and they always have been rare
Yet our gifts though rather minor with others we ought to share.

I have never been a soldier but thanks be to for that I say
I am just your Mr Average Plodder and I have always been that way
But we cannot all be high achievers with that would you not agree
And the one with the most medals one day has to die like me.