THE TRAMP

barney4001

THE TRAMP

In a lonely part of Ireland,near the town of Mullingar

We were gathered in the evening,in a little village bar

Through the door there came a stranger,just a tramp

he seemed to be

In his face the sign of hunger,almost anyone could see

But he brought a breath of summer,as he slowly wandered in

Dressed in rags that someone gave him,and the boots

now worn so thin

Someones son my mind was thinking,someone fallen

by the way

Or perhaps a long lost father,who had seen a better day

Could i join you for a minute,just before i go my way

In a voice as sweet as music,mindful of a summer day

I have wandered o'er the moorland ,seen the rising of

the sun,And my poor old feet are weary ,lifes hard battle

must be won

To a seat i saw him totter,heard the whisper of a sigh,

Then i saw the old face brighted,with a twink.e in the eye

Lonely there he sat and listened,to the stories that were told

Someones son or father ,who had wandered from the fold

Surely there must be a story,hidden somewhere in the

breast,

Of a tramp who roams the moorland,something different

from the rest

As i made my wayto join him,something told me

he was glad

Folk around me gazed in wonder,some they even

thought me mad

Thank you sir,i heard him saying

Lonlinesscan bring a chill

Maybe i should tell a story

Though with tears my eyesthey fill

In my youth i was an artist,painted pictures by the score

Then one day i found an angel,married her in Annaghmore

I was happy with my ,sunshine came our way

And eack night we knelt together,just to meditate and pray

But a fhief he came and stle her ,took the flower I

cherished rare,

Isn,t there a god in heaven to protect a life so fair

Did you ever lose a fortune,did you lose your only friend

Did the sunshine never bless you,nor the lonely not bend

Did you ever see the finger,pointed at you all the day

Broken hearts are never mended,in this hard and cruel way

I left home with all its sadness,left the place where i

was born

Made the sky my onlt blanket,and my friend a

sundecked morn

When they told me she was dying,even after all

the years

Like a baby i was crying,finding solace in my tears

To the place where she is lying,every year i

make my way

And i place a wreath of roses, on that brown and

sacred clay

Roses plucked from out the hedgerows,but she seen

them just the same

And i know she hears me whisper,as i quietly breathe

her name

You may ask why i remember,why she's always in

my dreams

But true love is ne'er forgotten,and a fond smile

always beams

I forgave and granted pardon,even in my prayers i say

That a souls not lost to heaven,just for erring

on the way

Summer brings its gladness,and the birds

sing high above

Just to bring me consolation,an an atmosphere

of love

But a tramp in lonely exilemstill within his native land

Must keep trying,just keep trying,only god san understand

Thank you, sir, for all your goodness,i must now be on

my way

I have many miles to wander,ere i meditate and pray

God alone now brings me comfort,only he can give

me peace

Till this worldshall mark me absent,ans all worry

it shall cease

In a lonely part of Ireland,near the town of Mullingar

We were gathered in the evening ,in a little village bar,

Through the door there passed a stranger,just a tramp

he seemed to be

In his face the sign of heaven ,almost anyone could see

barney4001

REQUIEM FOR A NAVVY
I left my home in 63
And sailed across the Irish Sea
A navvy, I was going to be
In dirty London town.

I threw my bundle on my back
And never once did I look back
My mother cried 'God bless you Jack'
And wiped away a tear.

The cattle boat bobbed up and down
And I spent my last half a crown
On a pint of Guinness, dark and brown
Out on the Irish Sea.

In Kilburn, I did lay my head
Just one small room and a dirty bed
`No Lady friends' the landlord said
`And keep the auld room tidy.'

Next morning, at the break of day
A rusty van took me away
From now on I would earn my pay
With Mcalpines Fusiliers.

I stood in mud and swung my pick
I shovelled mortar wet and thick
The foreman said 'Good on you Mick'
A good old Irish navvy.

Up swaying ladders, I did climb
An' sanc, about 'The Rare auld time'
And not a worry in my mind
Sure life was free an' easy.

The hod, cut deep into my bone
And sometimes I did think of home
What made me leave it, for to roam
An' be an Irish Navvy.
I cursed the Ganger every day
On Friday, when I got my pay
The sun would shine an' I'd make hay
Around the pubs in Kilburn.
I'd drink like hell, enjoy the craic
A donkey jacket on my back
An' sometimes I would get a whack
When ructions flared in Kilburn.

I spent the odd night in a cell
I'd kick the door and shout and yell
Ah peelers — may they rot in hell
They have no time for Paddy.

A few times now, I got the sack
But the ganger, always took me back.
Sure I kept them going with the craic
A carefree Irish rover.
Money? Ah I saved damn all
I pissed it all against the wall
Sure I was young, I had a ball
An' life was free an' easy.
The English man, looked down his nose
To see me in my auld torn clothes
To him, I was just one of those
A paddy and a navvy.

They called me Paddy, called me Mick
They called me stupid, called me thick
I slapped cement upon a brick
And sang the 'Irish Rover'.

A donkey jacket on my back
Sure all I wanted was the craic
I sank the Guinness, foamy black
And danced an Irish jig.
I paid the ladies of the night
To love me in the bright moonlight
In Ireland, that would not be right
But sure a man gets lonely.

And I'd always say on Christmas day
This summer, I'll be on my way
To walk in fields of new mown hay
But I never saved a penny.

As soon as I had got a sub
I'd drink it in some dirty pub
A few shillings left, to buy my grub
Then another week of toiling.

I never sailed back 'oer the sea
To my lovely cottage by the lea
Sure, I was young and wild and free
A handsome Irish rover.

I worked with men of many hues
While mud was squelching in my shoes
And spent my weekends on the booze
Mcalpine's men were hardy.

I sang and danced my youth away
I couldn't wait to spend my pay
I never thought I'd rue the day
For life was free an' easy.

But time moved on relentless'ee
Old age was creeping up on me
A shooting pain was in my knee
So I had another drink.

But drink, the cunning, crafty,knave
Was master now, I was the slave
An' damn a penny I could save
All pissed against the wall.

I lost my job, I lost my home
In dirty alleys I did roam
With shaking hands I sipped the foam From stout as black as midnight.

With wino's I did congregate
To drink around the graveyard gate I never pondered on my fate
As I sang 'Peggy Gordon'.

I slept at night down in the park
I coughed and shivered in the dark And dreamt about the singing lark In happy childhood days.

On misty mornings, cold and grey I'd stagger up, get on my way
To spend another drunken day
In dirty London town.

And then one night, in snow and sleet
With The Financial Times wrapped round my feet I passed away, my god to meet
Too drunk to say a prayer.

I rest now in a pauper's grave
Where weeds and nettles gently wave 'Cause not one penny I could save All pissed against the wall.
A navvy, from auld Erin's Isle
A snatch of a song, a cheeky smile I loved the craic, I had no guile When life was free an' easy.
I knew when I first crossed the sea A stranger, I would always be I saw just what you thought of me It was written on your windows.
You looked on me as second class
But while you sat upon your ass
We built this town of brick and glass
A monument to navvies.

You wrote it so the world could see
Just what it was you thought of me
But forever it will always be
A requiem for navvies.

No blacks, no Irish, no dogs
In the city of drizzle and fogs
You said 'Paddy, go back to the bogs'
No black's no Irish, no dogs

barney4001

Caoch O'Leary
John Keegan 1809-1849
One winter's day, long, long ago,
When I was a little fellow,
A piper wandered to our door,
Grey-headed, blind and yellow;
And, how glad was my young heart
Though earth and sky looked dreary,
To see the stranger and his dog -
Poor Pinch and Caoch O'Leary.
And when he stowed away his bag,
Cross-barred with green and yellow,
I thought and said, "In Ireland's ground
There's not so fine a fellow."
And Fineen Burke, and Shaun Magee,
And Eily, Kate and Mary,
Rushed in with panting haste to see
And welcome Caoch O'Leary.
O God be with those happy times
O God be with my childhood.
When I bareheaded roamed all day
Bird nesting in the wildwood
I'll not forget those sunny hours
However years may vary.
I'll not forget my early friends
Nor honest Caoch O'Leary.
Poor Caoch and Pinch slept well that night,
And in the morning early
He called me up to hear him play
"The wind that shakes the barley:"
And then he stroked my flaxen hair
And cried, "God mark my deary"
And how I wept when he said "Farewell,
And think of Caoch O'Leary."
And seasons came and went, and still
Old Caoch was not forgotten,
Although we thought him dead and gone
And in the cold grave rotten:
And often when I walked and talked
With Eily, Kate or Mary,
We thought of childhood's rosy hours
And prayed for Caoch O'Leary.
Well twenty summers had gone past,
And June's red sun was sinking,
When I, a man, sat by my door,
Of twenty sad things thinking.
A little dog came up the way,
His gait was slow and weary,
And at his tail a lame man limped -
'Twas Pinch and Caoch O'Leary.
Old Caoch, but O how woebegone!
His form is bowed and bending,
His fleshless hands are stiff and wan,
Ay, time is even blending
The colours on his threadbare bag;
And Pinch is twice as hairy
And thinspare as when first I saw
Himself and Caoch O'Leary.
"God's blessing here!" the wanderer cried,
"Far, far be hell's black viper:
Does anybody hereabouts
Remember Caoch the Piper?"
With swelling heart I grasped his hand,
The old man murmured. "Dreary,
Are you the silky-headed child
That loved poor Caoch O'Leary?"
"Yes, yes," I said—the wanderer wept
As if his heart was breaking—
"And where, avic-machree," he sobbed,
"Is all the merry-making
I found here twenty years ago
"My tale," I sighed, "mighty weary:
Enough to say there's none but me
To welcome Caoch O'Leary."
"Vo, vo, vo!" the old man cried
And wrung his hands in sorrow:
"Pray let me in, astore machree,
And I'll go home tomorrow.
My peace is made, I'll go home tomorrow.
My peace is made, I'll calmly leave
This world so cold and dreary;
And you shall keep my pipes and dog, And pray for Caoch O'Leary."
With Pinch I watched his bed that night,
Next day his wish was granted,
He died and Father James was brought,
And the Requiem Mass was chanted.
The neighbours came, to dig his grave
Near Eily, Kate and Mary.
And there he sleeps his last final sleep—
God rest you Caoch O'Leary.

barney4001

Wappitti
A native American online friend i had passed away about 6 months ago her name was Wappitti, she had cancer which took her away very quickly in a matter of weeks, her husband sent me this poem

---

If tomorrow starts without me,
And I'm not there to see,
If the sun should rise and find your eyes ppitti
All filled with tears for me;

I wish so much you wouldn't cry
The way you did today,
While thinking of the many things,
We didn't get to say.

I know how much you love me,
As much as I love you,
And each time that you think of me,
I know you'll miss me too;

But when tomorrow starts without me,
Please try to understand,
That an angel came and called my name,
And took me by the hand,

And said my place was ready,
In heaven far above,
And that I'd have to leave behind
All those I dearly love.

But as I turned to walk away,
A tear fell from my eye,
For all my life, I'd always thought,
I didn't want to die.

I had so much to live for,
So much left yet to do,
It seemed almost impossible,
That I was leaving you.

I thought of all the yesterdays,
The good ones and the bad,
I thought of all that we shared,
And all the fun we had.

If I could relive yesterday,
Just even for a while,
I'd say good-bye and kiss you
And maybe see you smile.

But then I fully realized,
That this could never be,
For emptiness and memories,
Would take the place of me.

And when I thought of worldly things,
I might miss some tomorrow,
I thought of you, and when I did,
My heart was filled with sorrow.

But when I walked through heaven's gates,
I felt so much at home.
When God looked down and smiled at me,
From His great golden throne,

He said, 'This is eternity,
And all I've promised you.'
Today your life on earth is past,
But here life starts anew.

I promise no tomorrow,
But today will always last,
And since each day is the same way,
There's no longing for the past.

So when tomorrow starts without me,
Don't think we're far apart,
For every time you think of me,
I'm right here, in your heart '

barney4001

Julie Kops
Twilights Grace
Tell me can you love this angel even with broken wings
Can you be the harmony to the song that she sings
Can you hold her tight on the days when she feels lost
Will you be her guiding light no matter what the cost?

Can you only see her outer beauty or will you turn the pages
Read the story of her truths dancing there thru lifes stages
As her time on this eartly plane begins to fade away
Will you be there til the end,tell me will you stay?

She needs to know you see the worth in who she is inside
That you aren't afraid to catch the rain of tears she has cried
In the end she needs to know if you can see her soul there
Be the star that lights her way on whatever path she dares

Will you love her on the good days and even more on the bad
Be an example of kindness and compassion that she's never had
As she grows old will you see the beauty of heaven's grace in her heart
Cuz she's only interested in a true love that sees the light beyond her dark-JK