Old man Murphy has cancer.
We went to the doctor, said there was
Nothing left to do.
I hugged him and cried a little.
We've been through so much.
I pleaded to give him one more month
There's must something you can do.
The doc said we've done all we can.
Hold him and tell him,.there's nothing
to fear, and we'll put him out of his pain.
Old man Murphy looked at me and I think
I saw a smile, and I knew it was ok.
I called my wife and told her,
she said it's time to let go.
So I made that decision,
and we ended his suffering.
My wife called back,
and we'll I told her what was what.
She said she be there to pick me up,
after the started the morphine drip on
her mother.
Murphy you always had the biggest smile,
Heartbreaking to hear its goodbye for a while,
You put up a good fight, right til the end,
Such a lovely boy, and a good friend,
Haggot heast was your best crack by far,
May you be at peace now you're the brightest star.
("Yellow Moon", 2014, original block print)
Murphy
Life is but a word
for a whole
that is more vast
wonderful and terrible
than we can say
(7/18/10)
At five feet, five and a hundred and ten
The Marines said, “sorry, too small of a man.”
Yet he became greatest of World War men,
The Army’s David to Goliath stands.
An orphan at the early age of sixteen,
Enlisted at nineteen then off to war.
As part of the 15th infantry team,
Lived four hundred days of front-line gore.
Audie earned honors for courage and bravery,
Every medal of valor, his story.
Through the horrors of war so unsavory;
The most decorated soldier in (U.S.) history.
He embodies the greatest generation,
Yet today, we are so bereft.
Are there any of Audie's persuasion
To redeem what valor is left?
At a time he should have been set
Murphy became rather upset.
Scott had this guessed at the outset
But not how to Murphy reset.
Scott could only pray that Murphy
Go home with the cherished trophy;
With loss his room might seem stuffy
And unusable seats fluffy...
But setbacks checked at their onset
Required one who was preset
And Ben Murphy–photo inset
Didn't look a pin the preset.
Man, that's Aunt Allie Murphy,
Yeah, ironing board surfing.
See the look on her face,
And She's hooked a great wave.
Pearls with curls then a slurpee
I see her walking in front of my shop.
Wears a Miniskirt,
Worried face,
Skin and bones.
Asking for change.
I usually, ignore panhandlers.
That day, while looking for change.
I asked:
What’s your name?
Diana Murphy
Diana Mary?
How you know my middle Name?
Mary? it is a beautiful Name.
Only a few people call me by that name.
Her eyes full of water.
We had a small profound conversation.
then, I tell her that she is not alone.
She thanks me.
As she is leaving
I heard her saying:
“I’m not alone, I’m not alone...”
After, a few weeks.
I see her pass by the shop.
Hi, Diana Mary Murphy!
She looks at me in amazement and said:
How can you remember my name?
Do you know how many people I see daily?
Nobody cares about my name!
"Those are the little things"
I love you!
I love too, I reply.
then she goes away.
The story may continue…
"Those are the little things"
Murphy and His Law
Murphy’s Law, one might recall
expressed in simplest form-
states if failure is possible to befall-
it eventually will and that’s the norm.
I have personally tested Murphy’s Law-
so to this much I can stipulate-
it has to be responsible for all,
more so even than simply fate.
For me it seems change is inevitable-
except from a vending machine-
and either/or choices turn out regrettable-
although the odds to be right are even.
As for Murphy’s Law I can see no reason
why it was passed or is even needed-
so I am thinking maybe to start a petition-
demanding the damned thing be repealed.
When everything seems peaceful
and all is going well
you'll find out that Murphy's rules
will grab you like a spell
When you build your money up
a bundle in the bank
and trouble strikes at every turn
then you'll know who to thank
The car you just had serviced
is spewing smoke and oil
the fridge just out of warranty
now watch that good food spoil
Just when you least expect it
Old Murphy will appear
He's cruel enough to make you spill
your last mouthful of beer
At every turn he's waiting
until you think you're safe
the shoes that fit well yesterday
today will make you chafe
Your wallet's in your pocket
at least that's what you think
until its time to pay the bill
then feel your light heart sink
You glide along life's easy way
it's such an easy dance
Until old Murphy comes along
and kicks you in the pants
From my PDF book "Bush Ballads and Bulldust"
Mrs. Ryan keeps her cat inside at night
but lets it out at dawn to go anywhere it likes
while she's at work. Every day the cat
crosses the road to call on the Widow Murphy.
Mrs. Ryan doesn't know her cat calls on Mrs. Murphy
but she has told the widow twice her cat is on a diet:
a little kibble in the morning and a little water at night.
Nothing else. When the cat arrives at Mrs. Murphy's,
the widow lets him in and gives him warm milk
and a dollop of salmon on a porcelain saucer.
Afterward the cat takes a long nap on a Persian rug till
the widow lets him out in the afternoon
to cross the road and wait for Mrs. Ryan
to pull her Lincoln into the driveway.
Mrs. Ryan's husband, Paddy, now retired,
has never called on the Widow Murphy.
He doesn't know the widow's waiting.
Paddy likes his tea strong, his wife once said.
Donal Mahoney
At Wrigley’s Field in Chicago
He bought two tickets, but struck out.
Barred from the game, with his pet,
“He stinks!”rang J. K.Wrigley’s shout.
At Sianis’ tavern across the way,
his pet, Murphy, was quite a hit.
But at the ball park, life turned sour;
they didn’t favor his goat one whit.
He aimed his pet to bring them luck
to watch World Series pennant wave.
Ejection brought anger, and a curse,
that loss would trail them to the grave.
The Cubs have yet to take the prize;
for seventy years, their losses count,
while Murphy’s name has garnered fame
and Wrigley’s shame they can’t surmount.
What a great baseball player was Dale Murphy.
Here was a man endowed with natural ability.
He made so many fellow players green with envy.
Swinging a bat, he could hit the ball a mile.
Dale exhibited fielding prowess all the while.
What an impressive career he has to show.
Dale was Most Valuable Player two years in a row.
However, he has missed election to the Hall of Fame.
To leave mighty Mr. Murphy out seems a shame.
** This poem is in memory of Anne Marie Murphy, one of the teachers who died in the Sandy Hook Shooting. Anne died trying to shield her students from the gunfire. She was found wrapped around 6 year old Dylan Hockley. Anne was said to be a woman who brought light, truth, goodness, and love to the world.
Anne locks away the darkness by using the light from her special angels.
Having them hold hands together to combine their light to shine over the world.
A shield will then cover the world.
Blocking some of the darkness out.
With the powerful light and goodness coming from Anne
And the little angels' hearts.
Paddy Murphy Is Fred Astaire
It's six below and so much snow
this January midnight.
Sunday's gone
and Monday's turning.
Yet Paddy Murphy's stepping out,
his crushed fedora all askew.
He's soused again and all aglow,
dancing along Fifth Avenue.
Tonight he thinks he's Fred Astaire
and so he's swirling in the air.
He needs a partner way up there,
someone pretty, someone fair.
If it weren't for the music
that only he can hear,
Paddy would be gone by now.
Tonight he's whistling, though,
delighted that his fingers find
the parking meter posts
are an endless xylophone.
Listen to him play those posts
so all the world can hear
Paddy's favorite tune,
the jig of an ancient tippler
with one last dance to go.
Donal Mahoney
Were at the Vets now,
today is a time I didn't
want to come.
Your in so much pain
and so depressed, it
hurts me to see you suffer.
I love you so Murphy,
I remember so many
things about you.
You really did some
funny things, like
come over to my bed,
I heard this real
quite growl to
let me know,
that you had to
go outside, you
would do that each night,
I remember when
you would go lay
down between the couch,
and the wall,
I could always
find you there resting.
I remember
how you use to
paw me when you
wanted something
or how you set
up on your rump.
Many times while
outside, you would
bark to come in,
I would tell you
shut up, but
the more I did that,
the more you barked
until I said your such
a pushy dog, then I gave in.
For 12 years 8 Months
and 5 days you were
my faithful dog.
Now I must say
good bye, it hurts
me deeply, as
I stand here with
a broken heart,
this is so hard for me.
I don't want to
let you go,
but I must.
Murphy I will
take your love
and memory to my grave.
Good Bye Murphy Written 2 days after I had my dog
put to sleep on March 3,2010
Sub Categories
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.