Orphans by Joan Cusack Handler is an extraordinary memoir and a wonderful new Irish family narrative. But what truly makes this story exceptional is that Handler’s new book is a memoir in verse. As you my readers know, I love poetry and all the nuance, paradox and emotion conveyed by the magical manipulation of words. […]
When Sheepdogs Dream
Today is National Dog Day, and to celebrate I’ve written a little poem called “When Sheepdogs Dream” which I dedicate to all herding dogs around the world, and my own border collie, Oreo. Oreo To celebrate the dog days of summer and all our beloved canine companions the good folks at Personal Creations have posed […]
Irish Poems For Mother’s Day
Ireland is a land of poets and poetry. What better way could there be to celebrate Mother’s Day, than to explore how Irish poets have immortalized mothers in lyrical words and verses over the years. Image Credit If you have visited my blog before, my love of poetry will be no surprise. Little ditties, Irish […]
A Rose For William Butler Yeats
This year, 2015 is the 150th anniversary of the birth of William Butler Yeats, Ireland’s renowned and beloved poet. To mark the occasion the good folks at The Secret Gardens of Sligo are launching a brand new Irish rose to be named in his honor. Image Credit Why Name A Rose For Yeats: Naming […]
To Ireland’s Far-Flung Exiles / A Poem By Irish American Mom
Ruined stone cottages lie dotted across the Irish landscape, permanent reminders of Ireland’s emigrants, forced to leave their homes by famine, and eviction. Over one million people left Ireland in the years of the Great Hunger from 1845 to 1850, and in the decades after many more followed. Every time I see the old shell […]
The Rose As A Symbol Of Ireland
The rose is not widely known as a symbol of Ireland, the shamrock being more famously associated with the Emerald Isle. However, in centuries past The Black Rose was sometimes used as a code word for Ireland, when English law prohibited direct references to Ireland as a nation. I was browsing through my albums, and […]
Dublin Sunrise
On cloudless mornings the sun rises over Dublin Bay, brilliantly illuminating the skies. Today I thought I would share some photos I took this summer, as Dublin slowly came to life, together with my poem, Dublin Sunrise. Hope you enjoy these words and images. An immense dark sky Flushes in expectation, Casting a glowing […]
Memories Of An Irish Farm
Living in America, I miss our farm in County Cork. There I feel at home. Today, I can only dream of …. The call of the cuckoo echoing behind Maytime blossoms; Swooping swallows dancing before me; The river gurgling under the old iron bridge My father crossed to school; Bales of hay stacked in […]
The Old Woman Of The Roads
Tonight as I write, the wind is howling and snow is falling for our first winter storm in Kentucky this year. Every time the mercury falls way below freezing and the icy winds blow, I think of the homeless and pray they find warm shelter. A poem I learned at school a long, long time […]
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