The Pitiable Poem by Francis Duggan

I saw sad sights in Cork City
And I saw woe and misery
And all that go to form pity
In the City by the Lee.

Met a man in Barrack Street
At the street corner he sat
Without hands and without feet
By his side the beggar hat.

Into the hat threw 50p,
May god bless you kind sir says he,
May you never know despondency
or feel inadequate like me.

Saw a woman in South Mall,
Sad looking and bent and grey,
With walking cane she tapped the wall
As she cautiously felt her way.

I pitied her as she was blind
Her World was dark she could not see,
God help her and all of her kind
How hard life for them must be? .

Saw a man down by Coal Quay
Stupefied from drunken bout
By the quay side wall he lay
Like Ko'd prize fighter stretched out.

Wan looking and worst for wear
On himself he's made life tough
Unshaven with tousled hair
He looked like person sleeping rough.

Saw wandering man on Western Road
Walking by the greyhound track
Burdened by a heavy load
That he carried on his back.

Labouring under his heavy tent
And watching him reminded me
Of Son of God under cross bent
Struggling up towards Calvary.

That day my heart cried out in pity
For those living in Earthly hell,
Like those poor souls that I saw in Cork City
Where so many rich folk dwell.