Big wide Shoulder©2018TonyFallon1128

Big wide Shoulder©2018TonyFallon1128


My dad worked all his life in the local quarry
Shoveling tons of stones into a big red lorry
They also sent them out in monster train loads
Headed down to County Mayo for their new tar roads
They might also have been sent to the Airport in Knock
Or to built walls at the mart to keep in livestock
Those little stones were created by dynamite
Often there were surprise explosions late at night
In the morning you might find a broken plate
Or from the main house or shed a missing slate
I won't tell you what the dog did under the table
And the cow and pigs were crazy in the stable
We knew there were some drawbacks and did not grouse
My father's pay cheque kept clothes and food in the house
There is no doubting now he should have worn a mask
As he went daily about that very dusty task
But there was no overseeing then at such sites
And no one gave a damn about poor workers rights
Between the cigarettes and dust he acquired a cough
If he asked for a sick day with pay they would scoff
To take care of his family he would go to any length
There was one great thing about him his upper body strength
He was the rock like anchor of the local tug of war
There was no moving him as he responded to the roar
Stripped bare to the waste you could see his muscles swell
And many famous teams before our tug of war team fell
Its many the time I thought of those days as I grew older
When my father carried me round on his big wide shoulder

Breaking up is hard to do.(c) Tony Fallon 12/6/2016.

Breaking up is hard to do.(c) Tony Fallon 12/6/2016.

You promised last night you would take young Johnny to the park
The last time we saw you was at breakfast and it's already dark
You've been gone all day and you are probably full of alcohol
If you have nothing good to say you might as well not come home at all

You know Johnny loves you, you must surely know how he feels
But he only sees his daddy when it's time for your meals

Remember many years ago when you were my boyfriend
And you said if we married on you I could always depend 
Money angrily thrown on the table may pay the light and rent
But your frequent absences are causing a lot of dissent

You seem so unhappy with life it's so long since you smiled
But you can't go on ignoring me and our only child
I never said that being with your friends is a big crime
But Johnnie and I are entitled to a least equal time

I know in my heart of hearts you have never been untrue
There is a crack in our relationship and we are falling through
When I try to start a dialogue I am so quickly dismissed
But in a loveless marriage like ours it is hard to coexist

The note says "it's not working" but it's not the freezer that's broke
So I'm taking Johnny and we are going to live with my folk
You know my parents adore you and you know where they live
If you can convince me that you love us I am ready to forgive
But there must be normal communications and honest dialogue
I never want to feel second class again or be treated like a dog

Lost Love©TonyFallon1126

Lost Love©TonyFallon1126

How many hearts had you shattered?
Before you caused me my own heartbreak
My yearnings and dreams are all scattered
And now I have this monster heartache

You told me that you were not ready
And that you were not being unkind
When I asked you if we could go steady 
I thought that maybe I could change your mind

You were here with government permission
To train for three months in a beauty store
To take courses to be a beautician
And you could never come back any more

I had to admire your great candor
And I was certainly taken by your charm
Good for the goose could be good for the gander
Your companionship could do me no great harm

You said that's ok as long as we kept it sociable
But there was no hope of a long term romance 
And that was in no way negotiable
You'd be far away with no ghost of a chance

But there was a benefit of being your escort 
For you possessed such elegance and flair
You were my Queen and I was your adoring consort
Your beauty was on the far side of compare

On the day we parted as through the airport we strolled
The optimistic plans we made were broken and not kept
Our secret emotions could no longer be controlled 
We both were lonely, brokenhearted and we wept

I have 2 computers one upstairs one down.

This poem I wrote down stairs while I was

writing The Immigrant upstairs. 

The Immigrant©2018TonyFallon 1126

The Immigrant©2018TonyFallon 1126

I met her on a moonlit night she was looking for a bus
She had to be from out of town they had stopped running
I said I could walk her; there were things we could discuss
She looked like an athlete, she was a vision, she was stunning.

She said in a foreign city she was wary of all strangers
Not to trust anybody was the way she had been reared
Never to let down her guard there were so many dangers
Especially in this town so many people were just weird

I told her that she'd have to stay six hours at that location
Because there never were any busses running here at night
About a mile away there was an all night taxi station
I could call for her in case to walk would cause too much fright

She asked how long it would take to walk to her destination
I said we could make it there in a little over an hour
And I would walk her there without the least hesitation
As a visitor to walk alone I would not allow her

Well the talk was enlightening I learned Montreal was her Zip
She had a Canada visa ninety days was all she could stay
She had a nonrefundable ticket it was marked roundtrip
The last day spent in America would be in the month of May

She asked so many questions about my life in the suburbs
I answered all her questions said I lived with mom and my pop
She was surprised with the busses having nightly curbs
She was also surprised when I told her I lived near the bus stop

Well that hour went by too quickly but I got her phone number
Before I bid good night at her new abode for ninety more days
After the long walk home I still did not have an easy slumber
And the next day at work was like a dream I was in a daze

The clock sprung forward and the days were getting longer
Meanwhile she got a part time afternoon position
My happiness with this lady each day grew stronger
She was happy too with her salary and commission

We were slowly falling for each other but there was tension
Could she stay or could I go we needed a visa revision
Her ninety days were gobbled up she needed an extension
And we couldn't wait here forever for Ottawa's decision

I applied for a visa there but they say I'm unskilled
I pleaded a hard case scenario and was gracious
I said there's a hole where my heart was it cannot be filled
I was there every morning to plead I was tenacious

The facts presented to her were beyond her control
She could not take me with her yet she could not remain
She had checked it with a lawyer there was no loophole
At the end of ninety days she had to get back on the plane

They say there are regulations that have to be applied
I argued that the laws of man should not keep loves apart
And I should not be left outside if she became my bride
They said that would be illegal and not very smart

They said once I crossed over their border I would be banned
Since my name was already entered in their data base
No matter where I went my name would always be scanned
On the monitor would be my personal data and my face

When it comes to love there are lines that can never be crossed
Completely invisible but known worldwide as borders
Decision are being made which come at a terrible cost
By minor bureaucrats who just act on high minded orders

I have 2 computers one upstairs one down.

This poem I wrote upstairs while writing LOST LOVE 

downstairs.

The day after © Tony Fallon.112616

The day after © Tony Fallon.112616

Like this before I’ve never felt
I’ve open my shirt I’ve opened my belt
I’m huffing and puffing
Because I ate too much stuffing.
I really made a pig of myself
On the television, I see the first elf.
Telling us all to be good because
If we aren’t there will be no Santa Clause
I do not worry I do not care
Santa doesn’t come to people with long hair
It also doesn’t help if you are jolly and fat
Better to have a stomach which is flat
If you have a beard and are over zealous
Santa Clause may be a little jealous
So at the North Pole, no gift will they wrap
And my address will be crossed off the map.
So at Christmas, if you want to win
Try not to look like Santa’s twin.

The Christmas Gift©2018TonyFallon1123

The Christmas Gift©2018TonyFallon1123

You asked me yesterday what I wanted for a Christmas gift
I said thinking about Christmas gifts now is a little swift
It's only late November or did you entirely forget
That we have loads of turkey and trimmings in the freezer yet
I do want to get rid of that large tray of cholesterol
Before we start preparing for another large butterball

I have enough gloves and socks and hats to keep me toasty warm
I have snow tires on the jeep for almost any kind of storm
I have enough sweaters and shirts and plenty of flashy ties
I have tools enough for Tim Allen you'll have to improvise

You said that since I do not smoke you cannot buy a cigar
Since I'm not a musician you can't buy a Les Paul guitar
Since I do not touch alcohol you cannot buy me fine wine
And since I'm a vegan you can't buy a big steak when we dine

About my gifts I am reluctant to hint or advertise
But you know I am into sports which will come as no surprise
I am too old to be wearing either team hats or sweaters 
Especially ones that have player's numbers or team letters
I am not a fan of the New York football Giants nor Jets
But I'm crazy about baseball and I love the New York Mets

A Thankful Heart©2018TonyFallon1121

A Thankful Heart©2018TonyFallon1121

Below is a poem within a Pontoum. The poem is in
capitals and can be used with or without the last verse.

THE FIRST DAY I MET YOU I KNEW YOU WERE SMART
YOU WERE THE OWNER OF A VERY FERTILE MIND
YOU REALLY IMPRESSED ME FROM THE VERY START
BUT YOU WERE A WILD ONE NOT TO BE CONFINED

You were the owner of a very fertile mind
YOU SPOKE TO ME WITH SUCH CLEAR ELOCUTION
But you were a wild one not to be confined
TO MAKE YOU WANT TO STAY REQUIRED A SOLUTION

You spoke to me with such clear elocution
YOU WERE IN A VERY COMFORTABLE ZONE
To make you want to stay required a solution
WITH YOU BESIDE ME I WOULD NEVER FEEL ALONE

You were in a very comfortable zone
AS WE TALKED ABOUT THE PRESENT AND THE PAST
With you beside me I would never feel alone
I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT OUR FUTURE WHICH COULD BE VAST

As we talked about the present and the past
I NEVER THOUGHT ONE DAY WE WOULD BE APART
I wanted to talk about our future which could be vast
BUT BEING WITH YOU FOR A WHILE I'VE A THANKFUL HEART

I NEVER THOUGHT ONE DAY WE WOULD BE APART
YOU REALLY IMPRESSED ME FROM THE VERY START
BUT BEING WITH YOU FOR A WHILE I'VE A THANKFUL HEART
THE FIRST DAY I MET YOU I KNEW YOU WERE SMART

The Scan ©2018 TonyFallon1120

The Scan ©2018 TonyFallon1120

Brain Scan 112418

I just had my brain scanned today

Because my heart was beating fast

They thought that things were not okay

And they didn't know how long I'd last

This major test had been scheduled for a week

They told me I could not drink alcoholic brew

I had to come hungry it was a new technique

And I could not eat food with salt like Irish stew

When I'm under pressure I am very tense

For two nights before I could barely slumber

But waiting seven days can cause some suspense

If I felt weak, I had to call their number

I was in a machine like going into space

It was round noisy small and very confined

They told me not to move my arms or my face

And to keep my eyes closed or I might go blind

They found a spot on my brain in red and blue

When they scanned and x-rayed me from above

It was a beautiful picture of you

And they are now convinced that I'm in love

The Aunt©2018 TonyFallon1119

The Aunt©2018 TonyFallon1119

You said you want to believe your honey but you can't

After the rumors you heard about me from your aunt
I said if she was here I would force her to recant

Because you aunt always says much more than her prayers
And doesn't pay enough attention to her own affairs
And also doesn't care how many other hearts she tears

It's no wonder at all that she is still an old maid
I bet I am not the only one she has betrayed
As she goes about her vile and scandalous crusade

Whatever she sticks her nose trouble comes behind
And the innocent feel they have been undermined
But if we takes issue with her she feels maligned

Trying to reason it out I may still wind up disgraced
Because that woman is an expert at being two faced
The hurtful words she broadcast may not ever be erased

I would surely like to grip her by the neck and grapple
But I realize all parishes have one bad apple
They usually sit in the first seat in the chapel

The Accident ©2018TonyFallon1118

The Accident ©2018TonyFallon1118

I met you in your car one day but it was accidental

But your mother acted wild she was going mental

That is understandable she was only acting parental

But you were not supposed to drive it was only a rental

Her attitude needs adjusting because I was not at fault

The first rule we learn is at a stop sign is we should halt

When you came to the stop sign if you have stayed

There would be no accident and nobody delayed

You were not on the policy so the insurance was no good

And there was damage to your fender and to my hood

There was oil on the road and some window washing fluid

I knew at once that someone was going to be sued

I don’t know how your mother could allow you to drive

You were not yet sixteen and very lucky to be alive

You are also very lucky I sensed you weren’t going to stop

Or both my car and your mothers would be laid up in the shop

By my early braking your driver’s door wasn’t struck

And you weren’t taken away on a flatbed towing truck

Despite your father’s pleading your mother wouldn’t cease

She kept blaming me for the accident so I called the police

If I had pushed the issue you would have wound up in jail

And your parents would then have the problem of your bail

Sometimes the best intentions are subsequently penalized

Your mother hired a lawyer, and you know, I’m not surprised

Kimmi © 2018 TonyFallon1116

Kimmi © 2018 TonyFallon1116

Kimmi lives in Amesbury in the great State of Mass
She has a sense of humor she don't need no laughing gas
She loves reading poetry and frequently writes some notes
And she encourages us poets with her little quotes
That is what most of us poets thrive on faithful readership
The writer and the reader in a productive partnership
Who can say amongst us we do not like our ego stroked
And Kimmi's gentle words may come when we are provoked
By the senseless comments of an uneducated cad
Then having a friend like Kimmi makes us feel so glad
Her love of poetry seems so intense and fervent
She picks up on many little things she is so observant
I hope we keep up to her standard and she will remain
I wish we had fifty like her in our poetry domain

The Snow © 2018TonyFallon1116

The Snow © 2018TonyFallon1116

The snow came without a sound 
To many people’s surprise
Covering all of the ground
Alas I have no supplies

I parked in the backyard lot
And it doesn't have four wheel drive
I should be in a town spot
I might not get out alive

So I'll have to improvise
Some friend will have to be found
Or I will have to devise
Other ways of getting round

Peace © 2018TonyFallon 1114

Peace © 2018TonyFallon 1114

It would be worthwhile if all wars cease
And bring with it everlasting peace
No more would soldiers have to live in mud
No more would foreign grass be nurtured by blood

No more we'd hear the sound of marching boot
No more would someones lands be stripped of fruit
Or lack fresh vegetables to consume
Or have an unknown soldier in a tomb 

Then water would be clear enough to drink
The air would always be clean and not stink
Little children would not fear invasion
Whether they were Black or Caucasian

The farmer and the peasant are oft not fed
Their well fed sheep and cattle lie there dead
No grain growing in the field to mill for bread
Nothing saved for the winter in the shed

No more malnutrition no more disease
No more young men dying overseas
No women armed far across the foam
While their husbands raise babies at home

No more should we have forced conscription
No hate between the Jew and Egyptian
People are not trees and re grow new limbs
The dead will not return after holy hymns

How can the parents forget their losses?
The world has far too many white crosses
Men sent to a grave by another person
And as each day goes by it seems to worsen

If a civilian killed with a gun or a knife
He would be in jail for the rest of his life
But men making money do not want wars to cease
While men of cloth ask for prayers for peace

Any bomb bursting in air can kill or maim
Drive people half crazy or leave them lame
May the day come when there's no Desert Storms
And young men don't have rifles and uniforms
It would be worthwhile if all wars cease
And bring to the world everlasting peace