Apocalypse Now Four Horsemen come riding in Each one carrying a prediction from the Book of Revelation A White Horse under the command of the Anti-Christ Bringing Conquest and Destruction Following on from a world already suffering from the spreading of a Plague A Red Horse representing the waging War on all those who cross his Path A Black Horse rider spreading hunger and famine No longer enough money or food to go around As a Pale Horse arrives on the scene Screams Of horror and terror as all he brings is death and murder
Liam Flanagan is a 47 year old living in Galway on the west coast of Ireland. Degree in English and Philosophy. Teaching Diploma in IT. Ten years experience working in the IT industry. Likes Sport, Music, Film and Politics
Standing at a crossroads No sign posts in sight Do I turn left or right? In danger of getting lost in the middle of the night Dark clouds loom on the horizon Gathering in the northern skies Halting progress forward The distance from home can be measured in miles I take a look over my shoulder Gazing back over the journey I’ve been on There is no going back now The time to go backwards is gone
Liam Flanagan is a 47 year old living in Galway on the west coast of Ireland. Degree in English and Philosophy. Teaching Diploma in IT. Ten years experience working in the IT industry. Likes Sport, Music, Film and Politics
Casting the mind backwards To teenage years An obsession with The Cure And a girl called Mairead I wonder where she is now? Playing football until the light went out at the end of the day Turned eighteen and celebrated being able to have a pint Maybe too much but the crack was mighty with the lads Lassies everywhere excitement of newness and anticipation tangible in the air Turning twenty made very little difference A taste for life had been discovered and developed As the years go by you realise how special those days were Times of friendship and romance Where there was always enough music in the night for one more dance
BY LIAM FLANAGAN
Liam Flanagan is a 47-year-old living in Galway on the west coast of Ireland. Degree in English and Philosophy. Teaching Diploma in IT. Ten years of experience working in the IT industry. Likes Sport, Music, Film and Politics.
Brad Pitt how you make the ladies hearts flutter You ended up in the gutter with a gun to your head Dumped Jennifer Anniston and chose Angelia Jolie instead Threads Of evidence poured over by Morgan Freeman Detective Somerset by name A role bringing about critical approval and fame Kevin Spacey playing the part of John Doe Determined to turn his life into a horror show Dante outlined the seven deadly sins Each one found in Hell formed in separate rings So be good now and chose carefully the life you lead The last place you want to end up is in Inferno Where all you will hear is cries and screams pleading to be freed
BY LIAM FLANAGAN
Liam Flanagan is a 47-year-old living in Galway on the west coast of Ireland. Degree in English and Philosophy. Teaching Diploma in IT. Ten years of experience working in the IT industry. Likes Sport, Music, Film and Politics.
The thirst the anticipation the pleasure Howya A pint of Guinness please How are things? How is the reopening going? Small talk as I watch the pour A tilted glass a slow deliberate pulling of the tap Careful now you don’t want to fill too quickly Three quarters full now is the time to let it settle Magically the brown cloud transforming into a dense black liquid with a creamy white top A thing of beauty to behold A couple of minutes pass Feels like a lifetime as the pint takes shape The top up the completion of an act of perfection The careful walk back to the table Make sure there is no spill now Destination reached two more minutes of diligent patience The time has come Clutch the hand around the glass Lift with care and deliberation Take a long slow satisfying taste of this black beauty Thirst quenched destination reached time to settle Slainte!
The Lion is the King of the Jungle You are the Queen of the Ring Although the roars from Portland Road were the loudest You have made the whole country of Ireland the proudest A lightweight only in name Your talent and brilliance lit up the Olympic Games You bore the flag and have taken home the Gold medal Take it easy now No trouble No worries Rest in the knowledge you have brought so much joy to our lives Each and every one of us Man Woman Child
A poem in honor of Kellie Harrington’s Olympic win.
You a former self sit across the table I could give you so much advice now Each piece contributing to how to live a happy life A road to follow less so many twists and turns Humps and hollows A simpler way to live being kind to yourself all times To take life easy resisting the urge to burn the candle both ends The flame still exists less hot yet enough to feel the warmth inside To love oneself and surround yourself with others you love too Choosing a partner to share the good times and the bad Know your health really is your wealth and life is there to be enjoyed Strive to be the best human being you can be realizing your potential Overcoming any obstacles which may be put in your way
Sting like a bee Originally know as Cassius Clay Now known by all as Muhammad Ali A man from Louisville Kentucky Nothing in common with chicken More used to giving his opponents a lickin’! An Olympic champion at the age of eighteen A right hook so dangerous stepping into the ring could result in the loss of a spleen Heavyweight champion of the world in 1964 A refusal to go to war in Vietnam causing a national uproar A voice for civil liberties and human rights Becoming more influential than any number of fights On three occasions going toe to toe with Joe Frazier Can be described as a real force of nature Foreman took a tumble In the Rumble in the Jungle The only opponent unable to defeat Parkinson’s which knocked you off your feet Commonly known by most as The Greatest A fighter, a wordsmith and an activist for equality You have left behind you a legacy of goodness and quality
I wake before the sun. The warmth of the covers leave my body and I walk into the cold and the dark. My hands wrap around my mug and it fills with hot coffee. If I had woken when I had planned, the steam would be rising from the cup, But it’s not. For a moment, it’s just me in the silence and the cold and the dark- reminding myself that it’s almost morning.
Then, I hear my son’s feet touch the wooden floor three rooms down. He loves the morning in a way I can’t understand. For years, I have tried to wake early enough to get a head start on day Before others are awake and need me. He, in his innocence, has taken this as an invitation to spend quiet moments with me. He lays in his bed, listening for my own feet to touch the ground so he can come and find me.
Some mornings, when I am bold enough to stay asleep longer than usual, I wake to the sound of gentle knocking. Then, a small voice breaks through the sound of his tiny fist against the door. “Mom, you slept in on accident.” It’s never an accident.
But in spite of my longing for a quiet That belongs to only me, perhaps these days are the best I’ll ever know. These days are without any moments to wonder whether I am making good use of this very short Window of time I have on this planet. Instead, it is just me and the cold and the dark
And the little man who loves me more Than the warmth of his bed.
He sits at the table beside me now, pulling out the marshmallow bits from the cereal box. I pretend not to notice, gazing to my right Through the wall of windows overlooking Livingston Bay. The sun is rising in the distance- Running toward our sky to join us.
There is no need for you to be engulfed in the dark You have a voice to express how you are feeling Healing Is in your hands an attainable objective Be subjective Take the time to find your way out of the quagmire Tired As you may be summon the energy to get some help You owe it to yourself to look after your health Brighter days lie ahead You can go back to enjoying life Once you find a resolution to the problem inside your head If you are struggling and feeling like you can no longer cope There is always someone there who can provide you with support and hope
Deborah Horton Writing 