Paddy In the Smoke

An old man walks the cobbled streets Of a city he helped create When he had walked on younger feet Back so proud and straight The bog’s of Ireland he left behind To search for a better life In a foreign city’s numbing grind With mind erasing strife Loneliness ate his homesick heart And solace he did seek In bars where he became a part Of sad emigrants clique Far too swiftly his life took flight With only dreams of home Work filled days and drink filled nights But always so alone Cruel age stole the years and strength As quick as you could blink Work and home and hope soon went Only friend now left is drink So now he walks those cobbled streets Homeless broke and old While in his mind old ghosts he greets Clad in green and white and gold