No 6 WJ Cooper series.

WJ Cooper series

No 6 Sligo Sonnet

Oh mighty Ben Bulben peeps through the mist
As notes from Killavil send a sweet riff
Beautiful Sligo where angels exist
And softly our poet sleeps at Drumcliff
From luscious Lough Arrow to Knocknashee
To the mound where Maeve looks out at Slieve League
At Highwood the woodbine calls to the bee
Chimney-like falls pouring streams of intrigue
Penned laws of Brehon on Dartry stones bare
Fishing boats anchored beside Mullaghmore
Pretty maids dancing like waifs in the air
Geevagh’s wild primrose and daisies galore
Black Jack’s Rosses Point and old wishing wells
Rowan trees blooming in grand Lissadell.

Tom Clancy.

WJ Cooper series

No 5. Galway Sonnet.

To sail on the breeze above Galway Bay
And watch the shoals waltz in heavenly blue
As sweet Connemara basks neath the rays
Soft rain on the Claddagh’s nets to renew
Wonderful Woodford..Ahascragh of tunes
Aughrim slope fiddles delight as they play
Fresh from the Corrib along the pontoons
Birds bringing news to the whins in Loughrea
Old place of the Tribes of fable and song
Where lyrics of poets float in Eyre Square
O’Conaire sang as he went along
Whispers from Aran all filling the air
Gulls follow boats at eve in Kinvara
And God brought you home dear Dan O’Hara.

Tom Clancy.

WJ Cooper series No 4

No 4. Cavan Sonnet.

Frost on the grass by silky Lough Sheelin
And chromed by the moon as vibrant trout breach
Breifne’s brethren at turf fires are kneeling
From Cuilcaghs a brook the ocean shall reach
Perched on a crannog Oughter’s own castle
And Burren so pure the angels rejoice
Cabra on high with drape and gold tassle
As Cavan’s ghosts chant, together in voice
Hawthorns adorning the road to Cootehill
While lake waters lap on each golden shore
Each God given bird makes music so shrill
‘Tis there I shall rest and sleep evermore
Oh smooth Cavan hills my home and my love
And meadows so soft, yes soft as a dove.

Tom Clancy

W J Cooper series. No 3 Sonnet

Kerry Sonnet

Now I must off to the Kingdom of Kerry
Where sea eagles soar surveying the brine
Where foxglove and sloe cress and black berry
Amass neath the Reeks forever entwined
A poet once spoke of Cahersiveen
And Derrynane’s king did naught but good
One playwright and Sive and mighty Tom Crean
St Brendan his craft of leather and wood
Home grown Setanta’s to grace every field
As beautiful roses dance in the rain
From Currow to Dingle not ones to yield
E’en when each valley was once racked with pain
Glorious Kenmare and blossoms in Sneem
Skelligs near heaven are only supreme.

WJ Cooper Series

WJ Cooper Series

No.2 Offaly Sonnet

The twittering dunnock of Boora Bog
Heralds the day as joys recommence
Offaly’s heroes sail through the fog
Lord let me see this ten thousand years hence
Oh beautiful Birr and heathered Slieve Blooms
And Geashill’s soft fields where skippeth the hare
Grand Canal daffodils join in great plume
Clonmacnoise watching this Gaelic affair
Yet when a great hunger fell on this land
As Faithful kin passed to heaven above
Kinnitty sighed as they left on command
And waters of silver sprayed them with love
Halcyon days at bold Edenderry
Banagher sweet by Shannon so merry.

Tom Clancy.

WJ Cooper series

For my great friend Bill Cooper who passed away last month RIP. A sonnet for every beautiful county, here goes.
The W.J. Cooper series.

No 1. Dublin Sonnet.

The sun over Howth a wonder to see
Oh countless the years each morning on point
A heavenly glaze on river and sea
The Kish and the Wall all hills to anoint
When fire haired ones left the land of the fjord
And sailed to the land of scholar and saint
Such beauty on view no man could afford
With vistas so pure no artist could paint
My own Dublin bay star-struck the Viking
As fish from the Dodder sated all pangs
The backdrop of mountains oh so striking
And still that magical baldachin hangs
Dublin’s fair city the place of my birth
Of dreamers and poets, lovers and mirth.

Tom Clancy.

Plog

Bob Beamon # Forrest # Paudie

Brilliant Bob Beamon
And his mighty jump
Nice chocolate sweets
To please Forrest Gump
Joe Frazier’s Birthday
Sleep well old champ
Up there with Ali
Snoozing in camp
Fed Astaire feet
And Barry McGann
Oh such blinding light
And one Manfred Mann
Blue Aztec print
Chiffon or Boho
Wet was the night
Way down in Soho
God’s own Moycullen
Or Plain of the Holly
Walks in the woods
With my Irish Molly
The Kingdom’s Fionn Trá
Our own Beach of Gold
Paudie her son
A star to behold
The lads dressed in black
They set up a maul
A young lad from Cork
Came out with the ball.

Béidh mé ar ais…Sláinte.

Plog

Bob # Maury # Mavis

Forty years now
Since Bob Marley flew
Three little birds
Sang with his crew
Young Lisa O’Neill
A voice from the past
Banjo in tow
As Kavanagh passed
Bunnies at play
In soft evening light
A fat pheasant hen
Just out of sight
Sam and Delilah
And Rev Gary Davis
The Rovers Return
And wonderful Mavis
All writers above
Are setting the scene
A forest of quills
Awaits Seamus Deane
They heard of John Bull
And jumped on the ferry
NYPD
And brave Maury Terry
I dined like a king
And splashed out the cash
Two pints of milk
With bangers and mash.

I’ll be back !

Plog …. ( Poetry blog)

Mark # Franz # Joey the Lips and more.

Victory once more
Snooker’s Mark Selby
I’m due for the jab
Look down Marcus Welby
Known as Der Kaiser
Franz Beckenbauer
Comrade Gerd Muller
Made goalkeepers cower
Alan McGloughlin
The other ‘left foot’
Gone is a great
Up there with King Tut
Ah ‘Give it a lash’
Said one from down south
The back row were class
‘Bravo’ I must shout
Remember your man
The bold Davey Keogh
He once made us smile
When he said Hello
Rory is back
Mac is the man
A genius at golf
He has a new plan
I had a wee curry
I felt a tad pukey
Came Joey the Lips
‘On a fuckin Suzuki’?

Beidh mé ar ais…Sláinte.

Plog …. ( Poetry blog)

Shapiro # Michael Collins # Benji # Travolta # Arlene

Friday fell sunny
Killiney the beach
She purchased a Trek
A freewheeling peach
Joe Walsh is gone
The king of vacations
Shipping us out
To hundreds of nations
A wonderful voice
Helen Shapiro
Paper Lace, Billy
Don’t be a Hero
Great Michael Collins
Went to the moon
He passed it again
Just before noon
At old Ballyfin
Where Fionn Mac was Born
Beneath the Slieve Blooms
One fine sunny morn
Benji is off
On the big tractor
Travolta could dance
Tops as an actor
She’s just left the stage
Farewell to Arlene
Michelle said goodbye
With tears at the scene.

Beidh mé ar ais…Sláinte.