On a mild Spring’s night
In the heartlands of Ulster
A prodigious child was born
For Ireland, to save her
A man of modest means
Yet formidable wit
The mystics he joined
A cause to commit
In poems and paintings
He found self expression
Yet through a noble pursuit
Would leave his impression
He traversed the country
On a campaign of recruitment
To free the impoverished through struggle
And the Co-operative movement
With Horace Plunkett and Connolly
He struggled for justice
Yet the Gombeens and the despots
Outweighed Caesar Augustus
Though Russell did not stop
In this quest for social reform
From misery to prosperity
One sought to transform
But the inconsiderate dogma
Of the Irish Free State
Meant to delay his mission
As the ‘Homestead’ must wait
George William Russell grew older
Crippled by usury
To wretched cancer, succumbed
Rest in peace, ‘AE’
Categories:
ulster, ireland,
Form: Rhyme
on way to Ulster
saw a cumbersome cluster
in a big bluster
while amicable
did become despicable
was predictable
when perusing on map
flowing from tree was much sap
between ears big gap
when with day of grace
of what we saw was a trace
egg all over face
when wearing bloomer
based on the latest rumor
died from brain tumor
being demented
was hard when he had hinted
hair would be tinted
of ice cream ate scoop
saw another nincompoop
doing hula hoop
Categories:
ulster, allegory, analogy,
Form: Haiku
I've wandered long through the wilding storm
And many all-night the cold,
To meet the turn of the sudden road
And ever the Word behold.
Categories:
ulster, adventure, allegory, appreciation, life,
Form: Verse
Grandpa was a Bowie.
A tight-lipped protestant Ulsterman
who drifted into the Poblacht na hÉireann
in search of a cure for his cold heart.
His thin lips wed a soft Catholic girl.
He joined the Garda Síochána settling down
to breed Kerry Blue’s. After he retired, he still
wore his uniform, his neck as stiff as ever.
Grandma wrote letters to the Pope
begging for Papal forgiveness
for her heathen husband.
I have not been to Hidalgo County,
but if I were one day to go, I might try
to convince the Daughters of the Alamo
of my credentials to be worshiped
in a mild, concessionary way.
A complimentary burger, a free pass
to the museum, a photograph
of myself brandishing a big knife
at a picture of Generalissimo Santa Anna
that would suffice.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Poblacht na hÉireann" = Republic of Ireland (Éire).
"Ulster' (Northern Ireland).
"Garda Síochána" Is the Police Force of the Republic of Ireland.
Categories:
ulster, poetry,
Form: Free verse
Ulster poet Seamus Heaney
ever a favourite with me
In which nostalgic childhood shines through
to become a Nobel winner too
Categories:
ulster, people, poetry,
Form: Clerihew
RECRUITMENT
Your country needs you lads, let Lord Kitchener tell you more
Come forward, join the ranks and we’ll send you off to war
You’re fighting for salvation; you’ve got Jesus on your side
Remember that in battle; let the shepherd be your guide
Join up with your pals lads and march in time with pride
You’re Ulster Presbyterians, so, the lord with you abide
We’ll muster at the Shipyard so that everyone can see
Then continue to the Farmyards and the local Factory
You’re young, or even younger, than the army will allow
You look a little older since you smoke tobacco now
We’ll put you in a uniform and show you how to drill
We’ll teach you to be brave and then train you how to kill
Say goodbye to your family and prepare to sail away
You’ll fall in on the Western front and join the great affray
Although you may be seventeen, we’ve made you into men
Yet most of you will never see your mothers face again
Categories:
ulster, conflict, family, war, world
Form: Rhyme
Ulster in Eire, has a legend in song' a son of honour
Who has struck the gong!
Gave it out true, cause he's long on strong!
Other greats have covered his songs!
I'm talking bout Van- Morrison.' sync and method
Decades long, yet new as green grass, I hear he's
Called to court; by a Mr Swan,.? maybe in politics?
Or perhaps I'm wrong? A truth denier? Let's string along
Is there graphene in them jabs; sodium chlorate? or anti-freeze? Is this
All real or just a wheeze? Has your freedom been curtailed?
Do you know of people. Gone off the rails? are there suicides From Sars cov 2 ? Are businesses suffering are doctors on
Phones too? How many people have died alone? Texas has no
Mask task line, I think as a guide ? they're doing fine.' The
Weather's different (now there's the rub) that's why on UK's
Hottest days they advised shut the pubs' they say there's a Learning curve with covid 19 it's full makeup is still unseen!
And Yet a jab for ( it )is here.! don't all that seem rather *****?
But bring it on swan' I'll bet armies of folk; back Van - Morrison.'
Categories:
ulster, appreciation, care, celebrity, community,
Form: Rhyme
St Patrick’s Alphabet
A is America land of the free
B is for Beatles as Irish as me
C is the great Cliffs of Moher so pretty
D is for Dublin the capital city
E is for Eire – true name of my land
F is for Fionn and the Fianna his band
G is for Guinness a world-famous name
H is for Hurling a rather rough game
I is my Island and what it creates
J is for Joyce, Stephens, Swift and Jack Yeats
K is King Niall and the old kings at Tara
L is a leprechaun called MacNamara
M is for mise, me fein and me too
N is for Nuala, Naoimh, Nora and crew
O is O’Reilly O’Keefe and their worth
P - Patrick saint in the land of my birth
Q is for quiz, gob, cailin and the rest
R is the River Shannon in the west
S is for Shamrock a flower of three
T is Tramore, Tullamore and Tralee
U is U2 who are still going strong
V is from Ulster – he’s Van Morrison
W – whiskey a very strong drink
X is eXcuse me no word can I think
Y is for You when like me you agree,
Z ’s not in Ireland there no last can be
Categories:
ulster, encouraging, nostalgia, race,
Form: Rhyme
What becomes of crazy mixed up kids fifty years on?
They become crazy mixed up elderly he-goats.
I am in part a Protestant,
In part I am a Jew,
But then I am a Catholic,
on off-days an atheist, too.
I’m something of a socialist
and pay my union dues
from well-laundered Mafia funds.
Psst! Have you got your share, too?
If they’d put me down in Ulster,
I’d have blown my brains out with a gun,
Just to keep ‘em guessing
Which faction in me won.
You can call me all the names you like.
A Prot, a wop, a yid.
In earlier days I used to be
a crazy mixed-up kid.
And I sure still am baffled
by this crazy mixed-up world,
and don’t expect enlightenment
ere my winding sheet is furled.
But there’s just one thing I’d like to know
Before the day I die.
Which part of me is all the rest,
And which part of me is I?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hD7q1xg2jQ
Categories:
ulster, crazy, humor, kid,
Form: Burlesque
The Masked " You Might Know Me"
Made his in ring debut, Mangeged
by " Gone Tour Me" he challenged
Dale B. Finer. Out classed by Y.M.K.M.
Finer sucummed to a Grall Gamers
Bearhug .
In what's said to be
A world class series of
Manuvers,
"The World's Bestest Ever"
Ulster Besputin
Verses
"Moody" Belkez Butaev
Ended at 31:00 when
Butaev used a Cattlemen's Beal
To position Besputin for the
pin.
"Big Money Grip" Dax Dollbouis
Beat Lammy Loco via submittion
With the Casters Canyon Victory Roll
:57 .An Areana record.
The Bankday Brawler and Ghetto Suchi
Beat Tissey Tilmon and Fattey Frikston
In a tagteam encounter, Frikston
Was on the receiving end of a
Louisiana Jaw Jam(right cross)
And in the main event
Members of "The Roster"
"Los Natralous " Javolen Suet
And "Tangles" Tanna Simmers
Went head to head with
Gym. Guy Frankie and
Badboy Boston
The bout ended in a
No DQ when the referee
From und Sommers lyre
And Javolens magic flute
In the he ring.
This has been Kelp Seaworthy with
Kelp Seaworthy Reports.
Categories:
ulster, business, death of a
Form: Ballad
The Masked " You Might Know Me"
Made his in ring debut, Mangeged
by " Gone Tour Me" he challenged
Dale B. Finer. Out classed by Y.M.K.M.
Finer sucummed to a Grall Gamers
Bearhug .
In what's said to be
A world class series of
Manuvers,
"The World's Bestest Ever"
Ulster Besputin
Verses
"Moody" Belkez Butaev
Ended at 31:00 when
Butaev used a Cattlemen's Beal
To position Besputin for the
pin.
"Big Money Grip" Dax Dollbouis
Beat Lammy Loco via submittion
With the Casters Canyon Victory Roll
0:27 (seconds)An Areana record.
The Bankday Brawler and Ghetto Suchi
Beat "Toughey"Taltron Tilmon and Fattey Fysta
In a tagteam encounter, Fysta
Was on the receiving end of a
Louisiana Jaw Jam(right cross)
And in the main event
Members of "The Roster"
"Los Natralous " Javolen Suet
And "Tangles" Themble Sommers
Went head to head with
"Gymguy "Frankie Loftsinger and
"The BostonBadboy " Bach Sistra
The bout ended in a
No DQ when the referee
From found Sommers "lyre"
And Javolens "magic flute"
In the he ring.
This has been Kelp Seaworthy with
Kelp Seaworthy Reports.
Big
Categories:
ulster, death of a friend,
Form: Ballad
PEACE ?
There’s peace in Northern Ireland, a smile comes to my face
Some well worn media phrasing, there’s no peace in this place
The hatred still is palpable, the twain shall never meet
Divisions that are influenced, by the political elite
Opposing ideologies, with religion at its core
Struggling for supremacy, in a bitter cultural war
With two tier education, so the children cannot mix
An antiquated system, which they’ll never ever fix
The undercurrent of savagery is rarely far away
It’s been that way from ancient times, until the present day
That murky world of politics, where they always try and fail
Where deals are done in private, behind the secret veil
Held up as a precedent, for all the world to see
How little Ulster saved itself, from a life of misery
We listen to the sound bites; each day’s a brand new start
Yet our celebrated peace walls, keep communities apart
Categories:
ulster, political,
Form: Political Verse
They become crazy mixed up elderly he-goats.
I am in part a Protestant,
In part I am a Jew,
But then I am a Catholic,
on off-days an atheist, too.
I’m something of a socialist
and pay my union dues
from well-laundered Mafia funds.
Psst! Have you got your share, too?
If they’d put me down in Ulster,
I’d have blown my brains out with a gun,
Just to keep ‘em guessing
Which faction in me won.
You can call me all the names you like.
A Prot, a wop, a yid.
In earlier days I used to be
a crazy mixed-up kid.
And I sure am still baffled
by this crazy mixed-up world,
and don’t expect enlightenment
ere my winding sheet is furled.
That is, I'd like to know
Before the day I die.
Which part of me is all the rest,
And which part of me is I?
Categories:
ulster, old, , atheist,
Form: Rhyme
Claire is 21 years of age, a boccia player,
Who was diagnosed with dystonia at 16,
Says “[dystonia] causes muscle contracture
and shortening…abnormal hands,” clean.
“There is no known cause for it…unlucky.
In the…years [just] before my diagnosis
I found it very hard ‘cos I didn’t, [positivity],
have a name to put to it, [my kinesis],
or know what it was but [after diagnosis]
it was a relief that I wasn’t going mad…
I got closure on what it was, [aegis],
and so I was able to adapt” lots, or a tad.
Claire went to Larne Grammar School,
Because she comes from N. Ireland,
And so goes to Ulster University cool,
To the sports institute (SINI), a garland.
She likes music and keeps tortoises,
Along with some other scaled reptiles,
And she won gold for her purposes,
At the 2015 Euros - done the miles.
Categories:
ulster, sports, strength,
Form: Quatrain
There is a castle standing still.
Where blood was shed
to protect our free will.
When foreign foes
dared trespass,
we kicked their ass.
There is castle standing still.
Where wine flowed free
and pigs were killed.
To celebrate our victory.
Music and dance all night long.
Loud bursts of song.
There is a castle standing still.
Named Dun na nGall.
Where Maeve was thrilled
to wed the high chief Fegal.
Ulster and Connacht
united as one.
Slan agus beannacht.
There is a castle standing still.
Not derelict or overgrown.
Where visitors can mill.
See steps worn down
by passing feet.
Soldiers on the beat.
Forever now asleep.
Categories:
ulster, courage, eulogy, family,
Form: Rhyme
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