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Month: May 2020

Coming Through

At The Beginning We Lost The Plot

There Wasn’t An Ounce Of Flour To Be Got

What Odlums  Had To Do Was Work A Twenty Four Hour Day

To Keep The Demand For Flour At Bay

The Fridge Became Our Best Friend

From It We Could Not Part

As We Ate Our Way Through Our Problems To Quell  The Fear In Our Hearts

A Way To Stop The Tears Falling And The Heartache Felt Inside

Our Minds Went Somewhere Else

It Was Too Much To Bear

Too Much To Take In

Was This Really Happening ?Am I Hearing This Right

I Wish I Could Hide

Instead We Decided To Take Up The Fight

For Ireland’s Call

We Stay At Home

We Are Never Really On Our Own

We Can Pick Up The Phone

To Neighbour Or Friend

When Things Feel Scary Or We Feel There Is No End

Know We Are All Going Through This Together 

We Will Take Each Others Virtual Hand

And Guide Each Through

The Worst Is Behind Us

We Are Assured There Is A Future Plan

To Live Here In The Present

Is The Gift In The Now

So Live The Best Life You Know How

© Pauline Byrne 2020 website aguidinglight.ie

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Darkness Into Light

Many Left Their Beds

And Walked Their Walk

As The Darkness Turned to Light

On Their Own Or With Another In Their Sight

The Lights Burned Bright Outside R.T.E.

Each One For A Loved One

Who Ceased To Be (2019)

A Symbol Of A Soul 

Who Is No More

Who No Longer Walks This Mortal Land And Decided To Go Home

Who Took Their Life

Let’s Name It, Suicide 

By Their Own Hand

Many, Far Too  Many

Are Left To Mourn And Grieve And Understand

We Have Heard Far Too Many Times 

They Were The Happy Ones

Appearing Without A Care

Smiles And Laughter Masked The Pain Of Life Hidden Deep Inside

So As We Struggle And Try To Get To Grips With Our Lives As We Live Them Now

For Some Their World Has Fallen Apart

They Don’t Know Where To Start

Go Deep Inside, Into The Well

Express The Pain, The Sorrow, The Restlessness Felt

Learn To Tell One Who Can Hear Your Call

Your Cry For Help

Who Is Present To You In Your Life

Take Off Your Mask

You Wear Each Day

Learn To Trust, And  Then To Say

I Am Not Ok

I Am Not Doing Ok

I Am Struggling Through

I Could Do With Some Help

To See Me Through

There Is No Shame

To Ask For Help

You Are Looking After Your Mental Health

Your Mental Wellness, Your Resilience Will Support You Through

Don’t Entertain Those Dark Thought

Felt By Many But Expressed By So Few

It Is The Right Thing To Do

So Pick Up The Phone To Another 

Stranger, Family Or Friend

Let Them Know How You Are REALLY Feeling

Don’t Leave It, It Does Not Have A Good End.

©  Pauline Byrne 2020 (Pieta’s Plight)

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Expressions

Adults And Children Are Collecting Stones And Rocks

Taking Them Home

Side By Side Painting Them Bright Shiny Colours,

Others Hold Symbols And Messages Of Positivity 

They Are Leaving Them Places For Us To Find And See

As We Now Go On Our Daily Walks

Bright Shiney Messages Appear On The Ground

Bringing A Smile To Our Lips, An Extra Beat To Our Hearts

An Act of Fun And Kindness Played Out

While We Are Living Our Lives

While We Are Playing Our Part

By Staying Apart

Art Murals Are Appearing On Walls

A Creative Expression, Unlocking,Tapping Into Emotions And Feelings

Being Felt And Held Inside

A Way Without Words, A Pathway To Show We Care

A Sense Of Pride Fill The Air 

For Our Frontlines Medics 

“We Care, Please Take Care”

On The Hill Of Uisneach, A Mythological And Sacred Site 

A Fire Burned Bright, Late At Night

As The Bealtaine  Festival Marked The  Arrival Of Summer

La Fheile  Bealtaine Was Celebrated From Afar

Heart Shaped Lights Were Placed On The Earth

As The Fire Burned Bright Inside This Sacred Space

As A Symbol Of Hope, This Year

That This Wretched Curse Will Break.

So Remember To Keep The Home Fires Burning

As We Turn This Around

For A Time, Hopefully Coming Soon 

When We Can Once More

Spend Precious And Quality Time 

With Our Families And Friends

 © Pauline Byrne   2020

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Loss, Matters

When We Go Outside 

We May Have Clear  Skies

Cleaner Air But An Eerie Feeling Still Lingers There

Fills Us Up Inside At Times

With Dread, Fear,Or Anxiousness 

For An Enemy Known, Unseen But Felt By Many

To Stay Alive And Well

We Have To Stay Apart From Each Other

No Kisses, No Holding Hands

For Some No Human Contact Made

It Is A lot To Ask

It Is So Much To Bear At Times

We Took For Granted 

That It Would Always Be There 

A Touch, A Hug, A Friends Gentle Nudge

Reassurance That We Matter

That We Are Cared For So Much

For Now We Stay Connected From A Distance, Afar

For Our Own And Each Others Sake

To Break This Wretched Curse

To Help Stop This Loss Of Life

Help End The Heartache 

Staying Close To Home Is Saving Lives

We Have Flattened The Curve

We Are Weakening The Strain

We Are Draining Its Source 

Find The Gain Within The Pain We Are All In

Let’s Make This Worthwhile 

Let’s Turn This Around

Turn The Frown Upside Down

For The Part We Have Played 

For The Lives That Have Been Saved       

©  Pauline Byrne      2020

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Countdown

We Have Two Weeks To Get This Right

So We Have Been Told

As Lockdown Continues 

In Our Land Of Green, White And Gold

As We Venture Out 5 kilometres Now Not Two

May We Stay Strong, Assured Knowing What We Must Do

The Virus Is Lessened 

Its Losing Its Grip

The Numbers Each Night

Are Telling Us So

It’s Getting Weaker 

And Weaker 

The Time is Coming 

It Will Have Nowhere To Hide

Nowhere To Go

This Is Our Greatest Wish

Our Deepest Prayer

As We Stay Apart

Together 

We Will Get From Here To There

There is Where Our Loved Ones Are

Not Behind Glass Or From Afar

But In Our Arms We

Long To Take

For Now In Our Hearts We Will Keep Them Safe

With The Promise To Never Take For Granted 

The Love We Have To Share

For Now We Show It

 By Staying At Home

Staying Far Apart

Playing Our Part

 Is Getting This Right

Showing That We Are All Pulling Together 

In This Fight

Please Be Mindful

Of Our Cocooners 

Who Have Stayed The Pace Some Weeks And Months

At Home

Helping To Flatten The Curve,

Saving Lives While Protecting Others 

They Were Prepared Not To Roam

So When You See Them Out For A Walk

Or Taking A Breath Of Fresh Air

Pay Them Some Heed

Show That You Care

By Giving Them Plenty Of Space

To Walk Or Have A Stroll

In their Own Time 

At Their Own Pace

Is An Act Of Grace

 ©  Pauline Byrne   2020

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“Le Cheile”

Bank Holiday Weekend We Find Ourselves In

Our Garda Are Out In Force 

Checking To See That We Are Playing Our Part

Staying The Course

Checkpoints Set Up

“Fanacht” In Place

Four E’s, Explain, Engage, Encourage, Enforce,  Applies

They Are Here To  Help Stop The  Spread Of This Deadly Disease 

To Help Save Another Who Could Die, They Are Saving Lives

These Rules Do Not Apply To Those Who Live North

Even Though Some Border Counties Are Hot Spots Where This Thrives And Is Staying Alive

License Plates Are Being Checked Outside Closed Parks

Reminders Of The Distance, Still Two Metres We Can Roam

A Hefty Fine, Next Time Could Be Waiting For You When You Get Home

To Ease The Burden 

Those Who Care

We Stay Home Knowing That Our Actions,Our Sacrifices Are Saving Lives

So Please No Parties After Dark

No Large Picnics In The Parks With Others By Your Side

Stay Close To Home

We Can Do It, Why Cant You

It’s Our Best  Chance To See This Through

We Are All In This Together 

“Le Cheile” Will Get Us Through.

   © Pauline Byrne   2020

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The Change

The May Bank Holiday Has  Arrived, We Have Been Waiting With Baited Breath To Hear

When Will Our World Start Reopening 

Where Can We Go?

How Far?

Back To Work Or School?

How Is This Going To Be Done?

Five Phases, Softly, Softly The Approach, Bit By Bit It Opens

How Many Shops And Restaurants Will Have To Take A Hit

Not Like Before,You Can Be Sure

Little By Little For All Our Sakes

Our World Will Come Back To Life Outside

A New Way Of Living, Make No Mistake

To Take Care Of Ourselves And Each Other

Will Be Our Greatest Task

Till A Cure For This Deadly Virus Is Sourced At Last

We Will Have To Stay The Course

Stay The Pace

Do What’s Being Asked Of Us

For All Our Sakes

We Are Weakened The Virus

We Are Winning The Race

© Pauline Byrne  2020

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Make The Change

Stay Safe by Staying Home

Know That You Are Never Alone

The Gift In This

Is That Humanity Is Stepping Up To The Plate

That It Is Never Too Late For Real Change

Or We Are Not Too Small

To Make Big Decisions That Will Affect Us All

The Opportunity To Change

Has Arrived At Our Door

To Look At Our Lives

As Never Before

What Do We Have,

What Do We Need

Look all Around You

Pay It Some Heed

Learn To Live With So Much Less

Learn To Live Without The Stress

While Still Becoming The Best Version Of Ourselves

Living A Life That’s True To Us

Without The Hassle,

Stop The Fuss

Going Where,From Here To There

Never Stopping To Ask Is This Enough ?

Is This My Life, The Price

Lived At Such A Pace

In Such A Rush.

©Pauline Byrne 2020

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The Dawning

A New Day Is Dawning

As We Welcome The Morning

A Bright Sunny Day

And Just For A Minute

We Are In It

We Are Back There Where Our Lives

Were Lived At Such A Pace

In Such A Rush

All That Hassle

All That Fuss

Now We Have Clear Skies

And Time To Spare

Breath In Deeply

Take In The Fresh Air

Walk Among The Trees

Smell The Flowers

Take Off Your Shoes

Walk In The Grass

Remember This Too Shall Pass

So Take The Time

To Embrace

To Enjoy

This Slower Pace

Where We Can Once Again

Enjoy Lifes Little Miracles

Our Saving Grace

 ©Pauline Byrne 2020

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Care For The Carers

In A Nursing Home

Close To My Heart

Near My Home

Where The Deer Are Free To Roam

Twenty One Residents Died

The Stags Outside Stood Their Ground

As They Gathered Round, 

As Each Soul Left

Its Earthly H ome And Departed

The Toll Is Much To Bear 

For Those Who Cared For And About Them  

Their Loved Ones Left to Mourn Their Loss

Lessons To Be Learned

About The Cost Of These Lives That Have Been Lost

Who Cares For The Carers

Who Are Putting Their Lives On The Line

Caring For Our Vulnerable, Aged, Frail, On The Decline Loved Ones

They Did Their Best

They Stood The Test

The Ultimate Price Was Paid

As Twenty One More Were Laid To Rest

It Wasn’t Right

It Wasn’t Enough

It Just Wasn’t Good Enough 

They Got Left Behind

They Were Counted  Out , Not In 

In The Bigger Scheme Of Things

They Have Been Promised, More Testing,Health Care Professionals,More Staff

Necesary P.PE.

I Wonder…………

Let’s wait and see

©Pauline Byrne 2020

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