{"id":4947,"date":"2021-02-21T03:56:01","date_gmt":"2021-02-21T03:56:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/?p=4947"},"modified":"2021-02-21T03:57:01","modified_gmt":"2021-02-21T03:57:01","slug":"to-visit-a-strangers-grave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/to-visit-a-strangers-grave\/","title":{"rendered":"To Visit A Strangers Grave"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Keeraun<\/a>
Keeraun Hill cemetry in Banagher where my parents lie<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I walk in town to which confined
\nFor nine more weeks I bring to mind
\nThe graves I would visit today
\nOf my folks dead, but as I’m away
\nI cannot: in times of death
\nWe live in hope, but listen yet
\nSomeone’s uncle dies, someone else’s friend
\nWe truly never know what is the end
\nVaccine rollout nationwide is slow
\nIf it works on variants as of yet we don’t know
\nThe churches are shut for mass and prayer
\nBut we don’t have to worship there
\nWe can go to a cemetery near
\nPass graves of strangers someone held dear
\nSay a prayer for them, say a prayer for all
\nSpend time their own cant, as crows call
\nSeagulls swoop across the sky
\nLooking down on a stranger such as I
\nPerhaps in Ballinalee or Banagher today
\nA stranger passes our graves, a prayer does say
\nFor those buried their that are my own
\nAs I do for these folks who and whose folks Ive never known
\nIt takes little to be kind
\nPeace among those who in peace rest can find
\nWhen these times end – in time they will pass
\nWe can come together, worship at mass
\nRemember our own as their graves we pass by
\nAs I hope others visit mine when pass on do I
\nThis life passes us in a blink
\nThese COVID days makes us sit and think
\nThere are no atheists in the trenches, it was said
\nIts true I say as I walk among the dead
\nOf strangers I visit where I live
\nI of my time a little give
\nFor unknown strangers say a silent prayer
\nAs others may for mine elsewhere buried there.<\/p>\n

\"Tubberpatrick<\/a>
Tubberpatrick cemetry in Leitrim<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"General<\/a>
General Blakes grave in Tubberpatrick, near one of our family graves<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I walk in town to which confined For nine more weeks I bring to mind The graves I would visit today Of my folks dead, but as I’m away I cannot: in times of death We live in hope, but listen yet Someone’s uncle dies, someone else’s friend We truly …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4319,55,1651,3429,2925,23,3583,4406],"tags":[4278,2345,2072,4407],"class_list":["post-4947","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-covid19","category-current-affairs-in-ireland","category-gander-around-galway","category-lesser-known-ireland","category-longford","category-north-longford","category-reflection","category-we-paw-blog","tag-covid19","tag-ireland","tag-reflection","tag-visiting-graves","column","twocol"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7EI4f-1hN","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3940,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/after-touring-st-mels-cathederal\/","url_meta":{"origin":4947,"position":0},"title":"After Touring St. Mels Cathederal","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"12th September 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Where the fire burned... its smell intimately familiar One statue survived, mere damage and dust of smoke Pictured on the walls: the ruins, it looks now that there was never any I listened, as the bishop of it spoke Of the sculpture of the Stations and the Church Mice Of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ireland"","block_context":{"text":"Ireland","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/ireland\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Windows in Saint Mels Cathederal in Longford","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Windows-in-Saint-Mels-Cathederal-in-Longford-165x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4000,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/the-famine-cross\/","url_meta":{"origin":4947,"position":1},"title":"The Famine Cross","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"28th September 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"At the back of St Josephs Hospital in Longford, there is the local famine graveyard. This poem is dedicated to those interred there during the famine, and until the home closed, those folks were the poorest of the poor. They died while in the workhouse, of which the father of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art Inspired Poetry"","block_context":{"text":"Art Inspired Poetry","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/art-inspired-poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Famine Cross in Longford - Photo by Lalin Swaris","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/The-Famine-Cross-in-Longford-Photo-by-Lalin-Swaris-1024x683.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/The-Famine-Cross-in-Longford-Photo-by-Lalin-Swaris-1024x683.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/The-Famine-Cross-in-Longford-Photo-by-Lalin-Swaris-1024x683.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4660,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/because-the-sun-still-shines\/","url_meta":{"origin":4947,"position":2},"title":"Because The Sun Still Shines","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"24th April 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The sun shining tells us there are better times after the storm, worth remembering in these #COVID19 times","rel":"","context":"In "Current Affairs in Ireland"","block_context":{"text":"Current Affairs in Ireland","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/ireland\/current-affairs-in-ireland\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Renmore looking out on Lough Atalia","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Renmore-looking-out-on-Lough-Atalia.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Renmore-looking-out-on-Lough-Atalia.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Renmore-looking-out-on-Lough-Atalia.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Renmore-looking-out-on-Lough-Atalia.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Renmore-looking-out-on-Lough-Atalia.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4577,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/home-made-explores-concept-of-home-for-longford-writers-group\/","url_meta":{"origin":4947,"position":3},"title":"“Home Made” explores concept of home for Longford Writers Group","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"3rd December 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"The Longford Writers Group - featuring yours truly - launched their anthology of poems and stories in Longford Library, to the musical accompaniment of Bernie on the keyboard, and Valerie on vocals. The anthology explored the concept of home, as it is known to each of us, and a contribution\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Launch of \"Home Made\" - the anthology of Longford Writers Group","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Launch-of-Home-Made-the-anthology-of-Longford-Writers-Group-1024x467.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Launch-of-Home-Made-the-anthology-of-Longford-Writers-Group-1024x467.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Launch-of-Home-Made-the-anthology-of-Longford-Writers-Group-1024x467.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3677,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/long-walk-in-edenmore-bog\/","url_meta":{"origin":4947,"position":4},"title":"Long Walk in Edenmore Bog","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"21st April 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Walking the bog in Longford brought this reflection on life to mind - a rare nonrhyming poem from me! Walking the long way home Brought me to a beauty That I had not seen for years... Having not walked this path Meaning to do so later When weathers better... or\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Environment"","block_context":{"text":"Environment","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/environment\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Stack of turf in Edenmore Bog with Cairn Hill in background in North Longford","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Stack-of-turf-in-Edenmore-Bog-with-Cairn-Hill-in-background-in-North-Longford.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2053,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/ill-go-where-im-sent\/","url_meta":{"origin":4947,"position":5},"title":"Ill Go Where Im Sent","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"30th July 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Invitation received: all were excited Again their friends where they are twinned they would meet Its not a junket: this, this is essential - How many to send to see them name a street? They will name it after the battle site We need to send two anyway someone said\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "1798 Rebellion"","block_context":{"text":"1798 Rebellion","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/irelands-wars\/1798-rebellion\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The sense of self sacrifice is palpable in Granrd Munciple District. \"I'll go where I'm sent\" says he. 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