Landscapes Of War & Peace 1914-2014: War Poetry and Peacekeeping
by Michael J. Whelan
Irish Martyrs In Lebanon by Michael J Whelan
Gulls by Michael J Whelan
Some words we don’t read them,
we taste them
deep into our souls,
some bring back our missing memories,
our loved ones to our hearts.
Many times I saw their wives and mothers
lay flowers in my country
near the places of their martyrdoms.
My heart is like a room
big enough to receive many visitors.
My heart is a wing
to fly your martyrs on,
to reach heaven
to make them meet at the river,
to hug and kiss their children,
to sacrifice and water their thirsts
of a land with pure blood
spilled far from home
flowing from peacekeepers
into the valleys of my country
where the cedar grows forever
and remembers everything.
Michael J. Whelan July 7, 2015
Published in A New Ulster Magazine, Issue 34, July 2015
Damaged house, Kosovo
KOSOVO a poem by Michael J Whelan
Green shoots
why do you grow
in the rubble of this house,
while hearts are breaking,
does God not see
our tears falling on the ground
near the stony road
that ceases at one side of the river
and commences on the other,
where great armies once crossed
to be forgotten,
in this land that forged a village
and civilised it;
then forged the swords
that killed it,
where the blackbird died slowly
in the eagle’s grip,
screaming as the beak
pierced the flesh of its breast.
Thanks for this!
Reblogged this on Michael J. Whelan – Writer and commented:
Tinteán online magazine is an initiative of the Australian Irish Heritage Network and they have published much of my material for which I am very grateful. This is their latest post referring to my Landscapes Of War & Peace poetry exhibition which is currently running is South Dublin Libraries, please have a read at the link…