Mother and her dead child

Mother and her dead child

Death has taken you

Nothing in my embrace 

Can breathe life back into your body

Conflicting feelings fill my heart

Love, loss and anger colour my vision of you

But you are cold like the darkest winter night

Cold and unresponsive

I scream inside but my lips emit no sound 

I rage inside but my anger does not show 

I weep inside but my eyes are dry

I die with you but I am still alive

Aching limbs squeeze your limp lifeless body

Tired lips kiss your icy stiffened neck

I pull you in as if to merge our souls and spirit

But alas your soul has already departed

You have left me

I am alone

Mike O'Leary - November 2014

A response to an etching by Kathe Kollwitz. 

Written at a workshop given by Chris Tutton.

Athena and Bastet

Athena and Bastet :

The union of wisdom and love

I have got the money honey 
You the pea green boat 
My guitar to serenade you 
As out to sea we float 

I'll sing to you my sweet
Betrothed we'll soon become
Beneath an arching bong tree
To the rhythm of a bang bang drum

With piggie-wigs ring in hand
With hill top Turkey's blessing
We'll dance across the moon
Sky clad entwined caressing

Mike O'Leary - November 2014

A homage to 'The Owl and the Pussycat'.

Inspiration was taken from a workshop

with our lovely writing tutor and poet,

Siobhan Macmahon.

Ineedsomespace

Ineedsomespace

whoareyoureallymike?
workingclassgrammarschoololdschool sixtiesmodhippiecommunewholefoods

countercultureartsmusician

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leedsunibrothertonlibraryphilosophy
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computinganalysingcodingtraining
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tobeornottobecontinued...

mikeolearyoctober2014

Remember that day

National Poetry Day - 'Remember!'

Remember that day

Remember that day

When the sun went away

And the light left your world

Leaving misery unfurled

Remember that night

In the darkness your plight

Afraid and alone

With a silent telephone

Remember the way

That you kept at bay

The tempting call of Hades

And all those Siren Ladies

Remember now

That you still know how

To stand and be tall

In spite of it all

Mike O'Leary - October 2014

 

I take with me when I leave home

I take with me when I leave home

A pencil and pad to note all the bad things

An eraser to rub them out

A smile to remember the good things

A highlighter to point them out

A vegetarian dinner

A bottle of Shiraz, or two

A photographic memory

So I can remember you

A means of playing my music

A pair of dancing shoes

The love of a good woman

Or two, with the option to choose

A place where my heart can be happy

Without intoxication with booze

A heart that is open to giving

A mind that does not use

A box containing all the love

I have shared and received in my life

Another box, sealed and locked

Containing all my troubles and strife

A penny to keep Mr. Poverty at bay

A pound and I'll live like a king

A poem that I can rhyme 

and

A song that I can sing

Mike O'Leary - October 2014

Singing with Lorraine

Singing with Lorraine

We're singing with Lorraine
Just singing with Lorraine
Rockin' and reelin'
We're happy again

We're practising scales
Notes that soar up above
Voices joined in harmony
Soon will fit like a glove

Troubles we chase
Right out of this place
Come on let Lorraine
Put a smile on your face

Whether it's sunshine or rain
Come and join the refrain
We're singing (but not dancing)
With Lorraine

Mike O'Leary - July 2014

I wrote this for our lovely music teacher, Joy Lorraine Cowburn. She helped us find our singing voices and in no time at all we were singing and recording 3 part harmonies. 

She told me I had a lovely tenor voice but typically male I was trying to sing baritone.

Top Kitty

Top Kitty

You're the top

You're Ella and Streisand

You're the top

You're a Paradise Island

You're the girl who sings

with Sinatra's swing

You're the Kitty 

who makes Lions Roar

Mike O'Leary - July 2014

Written for the jazz singer kitty la Roar 

A little ditty for you, with apologies to Mr. Porter.

Draw down the Sun

Draw down the Sun

The Sun has a time

which it deems fit to shine

But that time is rare

and it isn't fair

It's raining again

and I'm wondering when

we'll enjoy it's presence

to light up our essence

Come again Sun

Inclement begone

Your job now is done

Time for frolic and fun

Mike O'Leary – May 2014

Easter Bonnet

Easter Bonnet

In your Easter Bonnet

You inspired a sonnet

Of fourteen lines with

 Pre-fashioned rhymes

I'll read it to you
 Or I'll sing it!

 

Mike O'Leary - April 2014

Kindred spirit

Kindred Spirit

Feelings with tenderness tended
Heart and Soul now mended
With a cadence both

Perfect and Suspended

Mike O'Leary - April 2014

The Songbird

The Songbird

She listened to my overtures

But we never did duet

She left me in the chorus

Though our eyes 
They sometimes met

Her voice sang out 

So sweetly

A beautiful refrain
 

Standing in her shadow

From harmonies refraining

Mike O'Leary - March 2014

Creative Journeys

Creative Journeys

Be still
Still life
Whilst we capture
Your essence in pastel

Remain silent
Inner critic
Let us speak
In a voice unabashed

Stay in tune
Make time count
 Embracing the flow 
Of the rhythm

Stay tuned in 

On the air
Mixing sounds
 Both made and found

Embark on
 A creative journey
Be guided

By your Muse

It may prove
To be very fruitful
But at least
It may serve to amuse
  

Mike O’Leary – February 2014

I've come to hate the night

I’ve come to hate the night 

I’ve come to hate the night
That robs me of my peace
That fills my soul with dread
 Making furrowing increase
  

I’ve come to hate the night

The visits from the past
The endless groans of failure
The way the die was cast

I’ve come to hate the night

Awakened from my slumber
Time advanced minutely
A futile count of numbers

I’ve come to hate the night

The chill that fills the air
The heaviness of silence
Impinging everywhere

I’ve come to hate the night
The sense of isolation
The dark night of the soul
That leaves me feeling vacant
 

I’ve come to hate the night
The thoughts, the fears
The feelings
If only it were so
That I were only dreaming

Mike O’Leary – February 2014