SoFar©2023TonyFallon1025

 SoFar©2023TonyFallon1025

Many nights I lay awake as for my homeland I pined

I never thought I'd live so long and be of sound mind

At seventy nine I never thought I'd still have a store

When I quit a good paying job at age forty-four

I thought by this time in life I'd have run out of gas

And be looking outside in Roscommon at green grass

I was always good as spelling and understood verbs

And I also understood how to use rhyming words

When I wrote for the Rossie Champion they had a poetry page

And someone nicknamed me the Irish American sage

That started out my popular poetry writing career

And once I wrote three hundred in a calendar year

I've written about love and hate and historic events

Horses rogues and loving couples and a few discontents

Later I wrote for Elise O'Connor Archie Bunker mom

She owned the Irish Advocate long before dot com

I also was a Dee Jay into Irish and dancing tunes

And spent many a Saturday in smokey Irish saloons

ThAT WAS YEARS before Blumberg banned indoor smoking

It's a wonder many people didn't wind up choking.

I was spinning waltz songs others Discoed or jived

There were many drunk drives yet somehow I survived

I never thought in Ireland about Radio transmission

But passed a test at the Federal Radio commission

I've said dicey things on radio had my back to the wall

And I met a wonderful girl there who came from Montreal

For many years I supplied illegal recreation

To radio West a pirate radio station

The manager at that station had begged me to respond

And help bring Irish music back across the pond

I guess I succeeded they opened up the air

As well as Radio Eireann there's stations everywhere

Instead of TV killing radio it has stood the test

With Detroit putting better radio in cars it progressed

If it wasn't for radio the dumps would be full of vinyl

And we couldn't drive the Taconic and hear the Irish final

You'd think with all this excitement there was no stress

But I worked at making a living too I have to digress

I often did manual work like digging or mixing cement

Not too many people writing poetry can pay monthly rent

You can hear me in many places where they have open mikes

I post poems on Facebook, and I get a lot of likes

I know Facebook posting is not everybody's cup of tea

Where else can I get my poetry shown and it's free

YourSister©2023TonyFallon1031

 YourSister©2023TonyFallon1031

Your sister had a crush on me I had a crush on you

I'm sure there were ten other lads I'd have to join the queue

Your sister was smart and kind I didn't want her to go away

So keeping her interested in me was only child's play

I did not want to be the cause any sibling bad blood

But everybody knew of us three in the neighborhood

You look so much like twins but there the likeness ends

She was stuck with me but you have many friends

You have time on your hands the life of the party

She never let me down and she was never tardy

She always had a sweet smile I think me she adored

She was a happy person I don't think she was bored

A thing I liked about her she was mad about crafts

And she loved card games chess and even draughts

She didn't try to dominate but wanted to teach

And if she beat a master there was no big speech

I slowlky fell for her integrity she kept me sane

She has many good qualities yet she was not vain

Sometimes the best things are under your nose

And when you recognize that then love grows

Now I must admit I love her heart and soul

That she will have me makes me feel whole

You will be in the family I'm sure you'll enchant

And to our children you will be the perfect Aunt

parade

 Something is happening which seemed out of the question

When someone one night made an innocent suggestion

No more will you need to wander many miles away

When next year in March it comes to St Patrick's day

No matter what weather comes it will not be delayed

The new East Durham route 145 St Patrick's day parade

The leadership and members of AOH are being guides

Preparations are ongoing so they are making strides

For working hard weekly is this great unpaid committee

Hoping to steal the Irish thunder from new York city

Prayers will be said that there will not be a shower

That we will be blessed with glorious sunshine for an hour

Having it on the exact date is the talk of the town

With many parking spots on the Michael J Quill ground

People will follow the shamrocks on one forty five

And have free safe parking after a long tiring drive

People coming from Philly, Rockland and South Jersey

And from long Island Queens and  Yonkers on the Tappan Zee

There will also be people coming south from colder climes

And Tony Fallon will be there too with some new rhymes

The route will just be a few miles to the end from the start

Not a long tiring march even for the faint of heart

After the parade ends many wild parties will begin

With music on the accordion banjo pipes and violin

Creating this new Irish parade is a most noble mission

It's long overdue in East Durham this Irish American tradition.

LoveAtFirstSight©2023TonyFallon912

 LoveAtFirstSight©2023TonyFallon912

I don't believe in love at first sight

To happen like that would be so trite

I think that's absurd

But maybe the second or third

I once fell for a girl who was ideal

She was so lovely and genteel

But she didn't think I was the real thing

And we did not buy a ring

She went away and my heart was broken

Many times since we have spoken

She says she loves my imaginations

And my romantic poetic creations

I've asked if love for me is beyond her

Maybe separation makes her grow fonder

I know the love was one sided

I asked her if she'd been misguided

I've told her she wasn't the first

But our break up was the worst

She said she still lives all alone

I wonder if a love for me has grown

If it has will she admit it

Or will her pride not permit it

Is it worth a new campaign

Or would it once more end in pain

I should not commit in one session

For it has led me to depression

ToAmuse2023©TonyFallon913

 ToAmuse2023©TonyFallon913

I'm never under the influence of booze

Yet I write poems that sometimes amuse

That may not be my intention

I may want to see if I have your attention

And I never shy away from fun

And I don't regret what I've done.

I always try to be sedate

And try not to cause debate

Something funny may come on the sly

I let it pass because I'm not shy

Who doesn't sometimes slip in a pun

As long as someone doesn't have a gun 

I'm awful careful not to insult

A child ateen or an adult

My words I choose with great care

I do not bwant to cause despair

Words from my mouth are oft distorted

Twisted bent and contorted

Sometimes the reader does not comprehand

Or worse still they pretend

Not to understand and act irritated

Which leaves me frustrated

I hope you'll understand the content 

Because I only said what I meant

OhtoSingAnIrish Song(C)2021TonyFallon0630

 OhtoSingAnIrish Song(C)2021TonyFallon0630 

Are The Irish Music high Holy days gone maybe forever?

Perhaps brave men will come once again and start a new endeavor

Do you remember sixty years ago in a more folksy age

When wild looking young men some with beards  would take the local stage

And belt out new Irish songs from local villages and towns

And fill dance halls from Kerry to Armagh with swinging Irish sounds

Big Tom would sing of Castleblaney Brendan Shine of Castlerea

Dermot O'Brien would sing of Louth and the Turfmsn from Ardee

Larry and Declan were singing of their Longford and Drumlish

Others told of the awful suffering and dying in Long Kesh

Almost every week there would be a new song about H Block

Meanwhile Dana was singing the praises of the Lady of Knock

Danny Doyle was singing about gathering up pots and pans

The Wolfe Tones had new songs about the IRA and the Black and Tans

Somewhere else someone would sing of the Kerry hills of Knocknashee

Dermot Henry in New York was singing The Village of Asdee

Remember Lovely Derry the Lee and the Lovely Rose of Clare

And the Johnson group sang lovingly of the Plains of Kildare

Who can forget Lovely Leitrim or the green hills of Sligo

Or the cottage on the borderline of Galway and Mayo

Lough Ree oh Lough Ree where Roscomm Westmeath and Longford counties met

The pretty little girl from Omagh may have been a brunette

A woman was afraid of a kiss in the town of Ballymoe

While up in Cavan they were singing the praises of John Joe

Sharon Shannon moved a bit north and became the Galway Girl

The song became so world famous once she gave it to Steve Earl

One gypsy was a rover another's crush was a girl of eight

And Willie Brady walked the boreen with a Muldoon girl named Kate

The Dubliners going to Galway Races had four hours to drive

It must have been a Rocky road to Dublin one two three four five

Sean McCarthy wrote a rousing song about a red haired Mary

Johnnie McCauley was home in any town in Tipperary

Phil Coulter wrote so sadly of Derry the town he loved so well

And how the hated British army turned his hometown into hell

Paddy Farrell told us he wanted to go back to Castlebar

Someone else sang of Patsy Mulligan the man from Mullingar

Pete St John wrote of the Atherny wife who could only mourn

As her husband was shipped to Australia for stealing some corn

There were songs about love,romance,Clay pipes,carrots donkeys and goats

The old guys who drank too much and the dreaded emigrant boats

It seems no one will record now unless it's Grace or Raglan Road

Or country songs about Texas where the Rio Grande flowed

Will all our little towns and villages become once more obscure?

Will no one again sing Irish songs like Margo or Christy Moore?

Are we no more to hear the likes of McEvoy or Brendan Grace?

Or Furey/Arthur nor Hegarty that would be such a disgrace

Are there no more Paddy Reilly's Luke Kelly's or Ronnie Drews?

Is there anyone out there to fill Foster and Allen's shoes?

No more drilling in the mountains no more Kelly from Killane
No more Kevin Barry or Sean South or Martha from Strabane

No more Tommy Makem from Armagh no Clancy's or Pecker Dunne
No more Billy Reid dying on the street with an old Thompson gun

No Lisdoon or Limerick Lady or Irish in New York

No more will we hear great stories of the boys from county cork

Is the Golden era past is there no more youthful passion?

Are we not proud of new Irish songs and gone Country to cash in?

the famine emigrant.

 I   l e f t   t h e   o n e s   I  loved    i n  Tipperary  a n d   t o o k   t o   t h e   r o a d  

T h e   p a i n   a n d   s o r r o w   i n   m y   h e a r t   w a s   a   h e a v y   l o a d 

 I   w a s   c r y i n g   l i k e   a   b a b y   a n d   I   c o u l d   n o t   s t o p   i t 

 I   h a d   a   t i c k e t   t o   A m e r i c a   i n   m y   i n s i d e   p o c k e t 

 T h e   b l i g h t   h a d   c o m e   t o   I r e l a n d   conditions   t h e r e   w e r e   c r u e l 

 F a m i l i e s   w e r e   s l o w l y   s t a r v i n g   w i t h   n o t h i n g   t o   e a t   b u t   g r u e l 

 I   h a d   t o   s o m e h o w    m a k e   m y   w a y   t o   C o b h   i n  ounty  C o r k 

 A n d   c a t c h   t h e   n e x t   d e p a r t i n g   s h i p   h e a d e d   t o   N e w   Y o r k 

   

 M y   f a t h e r   w a s   a   h a r d w o r k i n g   f a r m e r   i n t e l l i g e n t   a n d   a s t u t e 

 Y e t   w h e n   t h e   p o t a t o   c r o p   f a i l e d   h e   w a s   r e d u c e d   t o   d e s t i t u t e . 

 T h e   f a r m e r   h a d   t o   d e p e n d   o n   f o o d   p r o v i d e d   b y   h i s   o w n   t i l l i n g 

 T h e   m o n e y   w a s   a l l   s a v e d   u p   f o r   r e n t   t h e r e   w a s   n o   s p a re shilling 

 W o r k i n g   t h e i r   f i n g e r s   t o   t h e   b o n e   t o   p a y   o f f   t h e i r   m o n t h l y   r e n t 

 T o   E n g l i s h   l a n d l o r d s   w i t h   i l l e g a l   d e e d s   l i v i n g   i n   L o n d o n   o r   K e n t 

 W h i l e   t h e   t e n a n t s   l i v e d   i n   f a l l i n g   h o u s e s   t h a t   w e r e   d i l a p i d a t e d 

 T h a t   o n c e   b e l o n g e d   t o   t h e i r   f o r e f a t h e r s   b u t   h a d   b e e n   c o n f i s c a t e d 

 

 I   w a s   t o   j o i n   u p   w i t h   f a t h e r ' s   s i s t e r   w h o   l i v e d   i n   Q u e e n s

 A   l o n e l y   young   t r a v e l e r   n o t   y e t   s h a v i n g   i n   m y     t e e n s 

  I t   w a s   m a n y   a   f a r m e r ' s   w i f e   g a v e   m e   b u t t e r m i l k   a n d   w a t e r               

 A n d   l e t   m e   s i t   b e s i d e   t h e   f i r e   a   w h i l e   u n t i l   I   w a s   h o t t e r 

 B e f o r e   I   b o a r d e d   t h e   s h i p   I   k n e l t   a n d   k i s s e d   t h e   q u a y 

 A s   I   b i d   g o o d b y e   t o   t h e   l a n d   I   n e v e r   m o r e   w o u l d   s e e                  

W h e n   w e   s a i l e d   a w a y   t h e r e   w e r e    s i c k   p e o p l e   o n   b o a r d                    

T h a t   w e ' d   g e t   t h e r e   a l i v e   I   s i l e n t l y   p r a y e d   t o   t h e   l o r d                   

 S o m e   d i e d   w i t h i n   a   f e w   days   c a u s i n g   m u c h   s a d   e m o t i o n                      

T h e y   l i e   f a r   a w a y   f r o m   I r e l a n d   i n   t h e   A t l a n t i c   O c e a n 

 

 I   w a s   o f f e r e d   a   j o b delivering    c o a l   w h e r e   I ' d   a l s o   b e   t h e   g r o o m 

 S i n c e   I ' d   b e   w o r k i n g   six   d a y s   I   c o u l d   s t a y   t h e r e   i n   a   r o o m 

 T h e y   s a i d   i f   I   s t a y e d ,   i n   M a y   w e ' d   s w i t c h   t o   c u t t i n g   g r a s s

 A n d   e v e r y   S u n d a y   a t   t e n   O ' c l o c k   I   g o t  two   h o u rs  o f f   f o r   m a s s 

 T h e i r   p a r e n t s   c a m e   f r o m   I r e l a n d  a n d   t h e y   k n e w   o f   o u r   p l i g h t 

 T h e y   w e r e   j u s t   t h e   g r e a t e s t   e m p l o y e r s   t h e y   t r e a t e d   m e   a l l   r i g h t 

 T h e   c h u r c h   w a s   c l o s e ,   f o r   m y   f a m i l y   i n   I r e l a n d   I   o f t e n   p r a y e d                                    

  I   c r i e d   t o   s l e e p   t h e   n i g h t   o f   m y   f i r s t   S t   P a t r i c k ' s   D a y   p a r a d e 

 

  I   w a s   s e n d i n g    d o l l a r s   h o m e   f o r   a   t i c k e t   f o r   m y   s i s t e r 

 I   d o u b t e d   t h e   p a r e n t s   w o u l d    m a k e   t h e   t r i p   a n d   I   m i s s e d   h e r 

 S h o r t l y   a f t e r   c o m i n g   h e r e   s h e   w o n   a   y o u n g   r i c h   m a n s   h e a r t 

 I   w a s   s t i l l   i n   B r o o k l y n   d e l i v e r i n g   c o a l   b y   h o r s e   a n d   c a r t 

 H e r   n e w   f a m i l y   w a s   f a r m e r s   b u t   s h e   m o u r n e d   h e r   I r i s h   l o s s 

 T h e y   h i r e d   m e   t o   r u n   t h e   f a r m   t h e y   w e r e   m a k i n g   m e   t h e   b o s s 

 B u t   f o r   m a n y   o f   m y   c o u n t r y m e n   I   s i l e n t l y   h a d   t o     c r y 

 W h e n   I   s a w   s i g n s   i n   w i n d o w s   s a y i n g   " N o   I r i s h   n e e d   a p p l y " 

 

 A u n t   M a r y   a l r e a d y   a   w i d o w   m y   s p o n s o r   I   n e v e r   w i l l   f o r g e t 

 S h e   d i d   n o t   w a n t   t o   h e a r   o f   i t   b u t   I   p a i d   h e r   b a c k   m y   d e b t                        

S h e   g a v e   b i r t h   t o   t h r e e   b u t   o n l y   o n e   o f   h e r   s o n s   s u r v i v e d                        

T h e   o t h e r   t w o   d i e d far too  y o u n g   s h o r t l y   b e f o r e   I   a r r i v e d 

 T h e   s o n  m a r c h e d  o u t   w i t h   t h e  6 9 t h   l e a v i n g   a  w i f e  a n d   c h i l d   b e h i n d 

 T h e n   c a m e   b a c k   f r o m   t h e   c i v i l   w a r   b o t h   l a m e   a n d   p a r t l y   b l i n d                         

 B u t   m y   a u n t   n e v e r   c o m p l a i n e d   s i n c e   t h e   d a y   s h e   l e f t   t h e   o l d   s o d 

 W i t h   h e r   h u s b a n d   a n d   t w o   c h i l d r e n   d e a d   s h e   p u t   h e r   t r u s t   i n   G o d 

 M y   s i s t e r ' s   h u s b a n d s   f a m i l y   w e r e   n o t   c a t h o l i c   y e t   t r u l y   s a i n t s 

 T h e y   t o o k   m y   c o u s i n   i n t o   t h e i r   h e a r t s   d e s p i t e   h i s   p h y s i c a l   r e s t r a i n t s 

 

 T h e   l e t t e r s   c o m i n g   f r o m   I r e l a n d   t o l d   o f   m a n y   a   m a r r i a g e   a n d   b i r t h 

 A n d   t h e   u n t i m e l y   r e t u r n i n g   o f   o l d   n e i g h b o r s   t o   t h e graveyard e a r t h 

 I   n e v e r   t h r e w   a w a y   o n e   o f   t h o s e   m e s s a g e s   o f   l o c a l   n e w s 

 M y   m o t h e r   w o u l d   p u t   a   f u n n y   t w i s t   o n   h e r   s t o r i e s   s o   t h e y ' d   a m u s e 

 B u t   a t   t h e   e n d   o f   e v e r y   l e t t e r   t h e r e   w a s   o n e   q u e s t i o n   without f a i l 

 I f   I   w a s   g o i n g   t o   g e t   m a r r i e d   a n d   h a v e   a   g r a n d c h i l d   w h o   w a s   m a l e 

 F o r   m y   b r o t h e r s   a n d   s i s t e r s   a l l   h a d   m a n y   d a u g h t e r s   f a i r   a n d   f i n e 

 B e f o r e   I   f i n a l l y   m a r r i e d   a t   f o r t y   b e t w e e n   t h e m   t h e y   h a d   n i n e 

 

 O n e   S u n d a y   a f t e r   m a s s   I  m e t   S a l l y  M u r p h y  j u s t   o u t s i d e   t h e C h u r c h 

 W e   h a d   g o n e   t o   s c h o o l   t o g e t h e r   t h a t   w a s   t h e   e n d   o f   m y   s e a r c h 

 W e   b o t h   w e r e   p a s t  o u r   b e s t  d a n c i n g   d a y s   b u t   s h e   w a s   a   l o t   o f   f u n 

 A   y e a r   a f t e r   w e   m a r r i e d   w e   s u r p r i s e d   e v e r y b o d y   w i t h   a   s o n 

 I   s e n t   h o m e   d o l l a r s   i n   t h e   l e t t e r   w h e n   i t   c a m e   t h e y   w e r e   e l a t e d 

 T h e   n e i g h b o r s   w e r e   i n v i t e d   i n   a n d   t h e   w h o l e   n i g h t   t h e y  celebrated 

 T h e y  w e r e   i n   t h e i r sixties   n o w   o h   h o w those  s a d   y e a r s  w e  c a n ' t  postpone

 A n d  i t   w a s  m o r e   t h a n twenty   y e a r s  n o w   s i n c e   I   l e f t   t h e m  t h e r e   a l o n e 

 

T h e   n e x t   f e w   y e a r s  w e n t  quickly  b y e   w e  w e r e  b u s y w i t h   o u r  l i t t l e   m a n 

 M y   s i s t e r   h a d   a   d a u g h t e r   w h o m   s h e   n a m e d   a f t e r   o u r   m o t h e r   A n n e 

 T h e   l e t t e r   k e p t   o n   a r r i v i n g   k e e p i n g   m e   i n  t o u c h   w i t h   a l l   a t   h o m e 

A n d   t h e   g o i n g s   o n   a r o u n d   Clonmel  a n d  Clogheen  f a r   a c r o s s   t h e   f o a m 

 B u t   t h e   saddest   l e t t e r   I   e v e r   g o t   w a s   p e n n e d   b y   o u r   p a r i s h   p r i e s t 

 T e l l i n g   m e   t h e   s a d   n e w   t h a t   o u r   d e a r   m o t h e r     w a s  now  d e c e a s e d 

M y   p a r e n t   g r e w   u p   t o g e t h e r   a n d   t h e y   m a r r i e d   i n   t w e n t y   s e v e n 

 T h e   d a y   a f t e r   m y   m o t h e r   w a s   b u r i e d   D a d   j o i n e d   h e r   i n   h e a v e n 

 

 B u t   s t i l l   o u r   l i f e ' s   m u s t   g o   o n   a n d   o u r   s o n   g r e w   b i g   a n d   s t r o n g 

 W e   t o l d   h i m   a l l   t h e  s t o r i e s   o f   o u r  y o u t h   a n d  t a u g h t  d a n c e  and   s o n g 

 N e w   e m i g r a n t s   t o l d   u s   o f   t h e  news and the    struggles for Irish land

 A n d   t h e   w o r k  being  d o n e   b y Davitt  f r o m   M a y o   w h o   o n l y   h a d   o n e   h a n d               

 T h e   s i t u a t i o n   f o r   t h e   p o o r  s m a l l  f a r m e r s   w a s   v e r y   l i t t l e  i m p r o v e d 

 F r o m   m y   d a y s   t h e r e i n   t h e faminee  w h e n  m i l l i o n s  h a d   d i e d   o r   m o v e d 

 T h e   s m a l l e s t   c r i m e   m e a n t   b e c o ming  a   v i c t i m   o f   t r a n s p o r t a t i o n                                

  A n d   b e   s h i p p e d   o f f   t o  T a s m a n i a   o r   A d e l a i d e in the Austrailan nation

 

 M y   s e v e n t i e t h   y e a r   h a s   c o m e   a n d   t h e   c e n t u r y   c a m e   t o   a n   e n d 

 T h a t   w a s   s e v e n   y e a r s   a g o   w h e n   m y   s o n   m a r r i e d   h i s   T u a m   g i r l   f r i e n d 

 A   g r a d u a t e   o f   C o l l e g e    h e   w e a r s   t h e   f i n e s t   o f   l a w y e r ' s   c l o t h e s 

 T h e   t h r e e   c h i l d r e n   h e   h a s   w i t h   t h e   G a l w a y   g i r l   k e e p s   u s     o n   o u r   t o e s 

 I ' v e   j u s t   r e t u r n e d   f r o m   C a r n e g i e   H a l l   w h e r e   I   s p e n t   a   c o n f l i c t e d   d a y 

 I   h e a r d   J o h n   M c C o r m a c k   s i n g i n g   a   s o n g   a b o u t   T i p p e r a r y   s o   f a r   a w a y 

 I   w o n d e r   w h a t   w o u l d   h a v e   h a p p e n e d   i f   I   h a d   n o t   c r o s s e d   t h e   s e a s 

 W o u l d   I   h a v e   d i e d   a t   h o m e   i n   T i p p e r a r y   f r o m   h u n g e r   a n d   d i s e a s e ?  

   I n   t h e   p a s t   f e w   y e a r s   m y   m o b i l i t y   h a s   s h o w n   g r e a t   r e d u c t i o n 

 I   d o n ' t   w a n t   t o   w i n d   u p   m o p i n g   a r o u n d   c a u s i n g   a n y   o b s t r u c t i o n 

 I   h a v e   n e i t h e r   k i l l e d   o r   h u r t   a n y b o d y   I   h a v e   a   c l e a n   r e c o r d 

 I ' v e   h a d   m o r e   t h a n   m y   s h a r e   o f   h a p p i n e s s   I ' m   p r e p a r e d   t o   m e e t   m y   l o r d 

 

I   l e f t   m y   h o m e   i n   I r e l a n d   a n d   t o o k   t o   t h e   r o a d   

 T h e   p a i n   a n d   s o r r o w   i n   m y   h e a r t   i t   w a s   a   h e a v y   l o a d 

 B e f o r e   I   b o a r d e d   t h e   s h i p   I   k n e l t   a n d   k i s s e d   t h e   Q u a y 

 A n d   b i d   g o o d b y e   t o   I r e l a n d   I   n e v e r   m o r e   w i l l   s e e . 

 

T o n y   F a l l o n ,   P o e t   L a u r e a t e ,   C a i r o   N Y