Waking Up

By Claire Hegarty

Not a very nice day, is it? says I
It depends on what you focus on says he
Up until this point I had been feeling blah
and unwittingly focusing on that fact
his comment woke me up

Can you give me just five minutes to myself? says I
But I need you Mammy, says He
In my selfishness I had forgotten for a while
how lucky I am to be needed
his comment woke me up

I'm not as young as I used to be, says She
I had been impatient for her to hurry up
now I think, if I'm lucky to live that long
I will get old and slow too
her comment woke me up

Each day I seem to slip back into a slumber
but I am now so aware of that
that thankfully a comment or an action
In an instant, triggers
my waking up

Here I Am

by Claire Hegarty

Here I am,
and I know I'm okay
It's taken me a long  time
to feel this way,
a long long time,,
to know who I am
to cultivate
some inner calm

It will take more time
this I know
to get to where
I want to go
but at least I know
where that is now
I know where I want to get to
and I know  how

The answers come
from within
I wish I had known this
when I was young and thin!
Inner peace and calm
this is the key
to get to where
I want to be

Inspiration Angel - by Ann Marquette GUEST POST

Dedicated to my friend Terri who passed away in 2006…
________________________________________

I didn’t know you well
I didn’t know you long
But, you became a friend
And, you inspired me

Your kindness and caring
Even through your pain
Your strength, courage, and faith
Amazed and inspired me

Your sweet nagging
To keep writing
To finish the next book
Made my heart smile
You inspired me

I miss you Sweet Lady
Yet you are always
A part of me
In my heart
A beautiful memory
My Inspiration Angel

© December 11, 2006

The Budget is coming! - GUEST VERSE

by Vincent Houlihan  © 

The Budget is coming,

we're scared to the bone,

will I give up me car,

me house or me phone?
They're tellin me NAMA

and Anglo are kool,
but they've taken me steak,

now I have to eat gruel...

First they said 2 years,

now they say ten,
and they'll tax me gold fillings

between now and then,
if we have work ideas,

they think we're just snobs,

we lose all our benefits

if we create jobs.

Oh! and while I'm at it,

don't ever get sick,
3 weeks on a trolley 

just won't do the trick.

so they'll pick on the pensions,

its easy - they're old,
and export the young ones

as though they're being sold,

what's left will be muggins

and all of my kind,

to follow our leaders

as though we were blind,

If we dont find the culprits, 

it will happen again,
we need  a clear message 

to send out the them.
The mystical tiger 

who once stalked our shore,
now lies like a crumpled old rug

on the floor......................

Here I am

by Claire Hegarty

Here I am,
and I know I'm okay
It's taken me a long  time
to feel this way,
a long long time,,
to know who I am
to cultivate
some inner calm

It will take more time
this I know
to get to where
I want to go
but at least I know
where that is now
I know where I want to get to
and I know  how

The answers come
from within
I wish I had known this
when I was young and thin!
Inner peace and calm
this is the key
to get to where
I want to be

Don't worry, Be Happy, making a memory

'Don't worry, be happy' is a favourite song of mine
my little son sings it all the time
sometimes when I am feeling sad or down,
this song can turn everything around

I hope my son remembers in the years to come,
singing this uplifting song with me, his mum,
and in his life if and when things go wrong,
I hope that he will sing this song

When I was little, every once in a while
my mother would sing a song called 'smile'
There were some tough times when I was small
and this song helped her through it all

We sing our song almost every day
to keep the downbeat thoughts at bay
Some may think it  a little twee
but we are making a memory


Claire Hegarty© 

A Writer's Procrastination

Why don't you submit the piece, now that it's complete, why are you still dawdling and dragging your two feet? Why can't you just send the piece, why do you contemplate, why be unsure and insecure, why still procrastinate? Why do you make excuses, when deep inside you feel, that however small the feeling is, the piece has some appeal? Why can't you just submit the piece, are you afraid to know it's fate? you fear success as much as failure so you again, procrastinate! - C Hegarty2003