Home | The Athenry Journal (1995–2004) | Magazine | Chronicle | Education, People, Poetry

A poodle was charged by the law,

For killing a poor old jackdaw,

Said she to the jury,

It was all in fury,

For the jackdaw had bitten my paw.

There was a fat lady of Clyde,

To her husband she decided to confide,

”I’ve stolen four million

From many a civilian”,

Said he: “Let’s fly with the tide”.

John Joyce

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Nightmares

Turning and turning,

Lying in bed,

The intruder of night,

Has just come into my head.

I awake with a fright,

lying and listening,

As I hear the church bells,

Ring out at midnight.

Not wanting to,

I drift back to sleep,

And in my head appears,

The intruder of fright.

Lisa McGrath

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Peace

Peace is a reward for those of us daring

Peace is a budding flower

Peace is a shelter for those of us caring

Peace is a saviour shattered by war.

Peace has no place in our world today,

In Ireland, France or Japan

And all I ask is: what is the thing

Which separates our clan?

For wars have been fought and ended

And houses burned to the ground

And no matter — we try and stop it,

It will always be world renowned.

Peace is like the church bells

Ringing their happy chime.

But like the church bells it is

Short-lived and again we are

Overturned with crime.

So you people before me

The peace I ask you to keep Forever

For in your own way

Make the land humble and meek

Brian Conlon

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The Tree

A tree is the root of nature

Standing strong, bold and tall,

In country or city or woodland

Hanging over castle walls.

The tune of the tree — is the wind

Whistling through its branches and leaves

It can shake it or break it and leave it quite torn

But sometimes it won’t go near it – at all.

A tree is a thing to admire and behold

Not shattered and scattered

Not knocked or cut

So, I’ll finish my poem

But, I say what I mean

The King of the earth

Is nature’s own tree.

Lorena Dunne

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A day off school

A day off school – Glory be!

A day to be myself — just me

My bed is warm so here I lay.

But then I hear my mother say

Breakfast’s ready _ make a move.

Hurry on or your bacon you’ll lose.

So, dress and wash and get sat down

Then mother says we’ll go to town

This can’t be true – I want to say

But there is always another day.

Mathew Griffin

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Written by Various Authors

Published here 17 Feb 2023 and originally published December 1997

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