Category: Poetry

Leaving

Leaving
by Leslie Noyes

She liked to think she could leave if the need arose, if the weighted words and angry posturing turned into closed fists,

But the time never seemed right; he always apologized for the stinging insults and delusional declarations.

In the end, she finally left. The ambulance arrived and carted her away, bloodied and bruised. Still, he said he was sorry.

The Sounds of Making Plans

The Sounds of Making Plans

By Leslie Noyes

Percolating pensiveness, a dollop here, a shuffling of papers there. Tap typing a google search for some

Place warm, but not too hot. A clattering through a drawer of pens and pencils, finding one with ink or another with

Sharpened lead, or sighing in frustration and tossing the whole lot clutter bang in the garbage bin then wondering

If the recycling box is more appropriate for this detritus. A nose wrinkling search through mushy mulch reveals the remains of 

Coffee grounds and last night’s leftover pizza among discarded writing implements in the bowels of the trash. 

Dropped lid, startled cats. Swishing of soapy hands under running water, ripping strip of paper towel to dry. Sliding out 

Boxes of atlases and crinkled yellow maps. Exclaiming over destinations visited; sighing over those that might never be. 

The Gaelic Muse

The Gaelic Muse

This lovely statue in Killarney pays tribute to the poets of County Kerry. I discovered it just a block from the Malton Hotel and asked the muse for a bit of inspiration. I’m a patient lass, but any time now would be good. 

Wouldn’t you love to know why Pierce Ferriter was hanged? Well, I looked him up on Google:

“Piaras Feiritear, better known via the Anglicized name Pierce Ferriter, was an Irish poet who also served as an officer during the War of the Irish Confederacy, 1641 – 1652. Piaras may have been born about the year 1600, the son of Eamon Feiritear, (Edmond Ferriter)a landowner whose lands on the far western part of the Dingle Peninsula had been the Ferriter family’s homestead for about 350 years when Pierce was born.

Much of what is known or surmised regarding Pierce Ferriter the man extends from his surviving poetry. His use of the Irish language, themes, and imagery indicates that he was a man of education, and probably well taught in both English and Irish. By account he was a harpist as well as a poet. The surviving body of work represents some of the finest Irish language poetry of his era.

Less is known of his personal life. Evidence exists that he was married and from this marriage, there is known to have been children: two sons and a daughter, Dominick, Richard, and Helen. We also know that Piaras was friendly with both the nearby family of the Knight of Kerry, who were Geraldines, and the more distant FitzMaurice family – also a Geraldine line. From the Lord of Kerry (FitzMaurice) he was favored with a commission to raise an armed company from his lands and neighborhood on the Dingle Peninsula. Pierce’s arming and leading of the local citizens was to be in support of the English Crown however, rather than going to war with the Kerry Catholics, he aligned himself with the anti-English forces, and brought his men to join in the siege of Tralee in 1641.

During the siege of Tralee Peirce was wounded, and his active involvement in the fighting after the fall of Tralee is uncertain. With the fall of Ross Castle in 1652, the war in Kerry was lost, and other defeats brought the war to an end in the rest of Ireland as well. Pierce Ferriter’s sons Dominick and Richard left Ireland as “Wild Geese” under agreements made by Lord Muskerry. Pierce remained at large for almost a year, and many of the folk tales and legends surrounding his abilities as a warrior emerge from this interval. At last, in 1653, Pierce Ferriter was brought in to Ross Castle under an assurance of safety.

After an unsuccessful parley was Pierce began his journey from Killarney homeward. Somewhere near Castledrum, he was apprehended by men dispatched by the erstwhile negotiator, Colonel Nelson, and brought back as prisoner. Pursuant to a trial of which no record remains, Piaras Ferriter was hanged, presumably for having been a rebel.”

I tried to find a sample of his poetry, but came up empty handed. I’ll keep looking.

Peace, people!

Anthem

Anthem
by Leslie Noyes

Standing tall and proud
Voices raised in joyful praise
An anthem for us


Outside looking in
The disenfranchised hear but
An anthem for some


Until all are free
The lyrics are merely words
An anthem for none

Go Fourth!


Double down on democracy, speak your mind, and honestly. Support a free press, and denounce those who’d silence

The Fourth Estate. A patriot is neither left nor right, but one who upholds the Constitution. Refuse to succumb

To the treachery of bluster and lies. We know better! Some have had their eyes clouded, others feel dismay,

Yet we are Americans. We believe in liberty, in justice, for ALL, and we will not be led astray by this sham of a leader.

Travel Games You Cannot Play on an Airplane 

One cannot play the alphabet game, the signs are too far below,

And the license plate game is likewise moot, no cars zip to and fro.

One could play the I Spy game, at least a round or two

Until it’s apparent that the objects in view are limited to just a few.

Name That Tune is out, ’cause other passengers aren’t amused,

When you sing an off key Yellow Submarine and they all feel abused.

So I’ll twiddle my thumbs and wiggle my ears the better to pass the time

Or maybe I’ll write silly poems, some may even rhyme.