The waters of my Youth © Tony Fallon033018.
I often cycled across
the Shannon when I was on my own
It wasn’t very difficult if you used the bridge of Athlone
As I crossed that expanse I wondered who could guarantee
That there wasn’t another monster in the bottom of Lough Ree
For it was often in my dreams that when I’d be there fishing
That along would come Nessies cousin with its tail swishing
Those beady eyes were scary and teeth from snout to throat
Even a little nip from that would surely stunt my growth
Those were the nights I’d wake up everybody with my screams
But never would I tell them the scary content of my dreams
We lived near two lakes ourselves but I wouldn’t cross in a
boat
For I worried about the boat capsizing and not staying
afloat
All the stories I’d been told about getting shocked by an
eel
Or winding up in the belly of a Nessie for her midday meal
So that’s my story of my youthful fear of our local lake
And the wild dreams of monsters that often kept me awake