Coláiste De Lacy, Ashbourne Education Campus, Killegland, Ashbourne, Co. Meath

Chains of Time

The alpha wolves walk among sheep
So the young pups can sleep
Just like a parent trying to raise their young
To avoid them looking into the barrel of a gun
The deepest darkness rains over light
So the vampires can come out and bite
Just like society it drains you of your confidence on sight
The strong minded are separated from the weak
And all you’ll ever hear is a little shriek because deep down inside
They’re crying with every breath, word and line
Deep down they’re looking for a space
To break the chains of time

Justin

Made Me

Sometimes I feel like if I could go back,
I’d change how I was and I’d change how I act.
My confidence was high and always had the craic,
But things you’d say would knock me straight back.
You made me feel big and you made me feel tall,
Funny how you can also make someone feel so small.
Some of the things you would say they just weren’t fair,
That really showed how only I cared.
Sometimes I feel like I’ve never recovered,
But trust me I’ve tried with many others.
People come and go over the years,
Who’d have thought you’d be the one to bring me to tears.
As I said if I could go back,
But now I think it’s better like that.
But now I can thank you for what you’ve done,
It’s made me who I have become.

Anon

This World

We all live in this world that is supposed to be a society,
Yet our young generation has so much anxiety.
We judge one another on how we look
Or what intelligence we lack.
Too many grudges we hold against each other,
Holding a gun up to one another.
Using words as bullets to shoot them down,
Everyone is supposed to look different
Yet it’s hard to tell who is who.
When more people are turning into Barbie,
Living in a plastic dream of other people’s expectations.
As we use filters off of Snapchat and photo-shop,
The flaws we see that others love,
As we hide behind the sad reality
That we all brought upon this mad, mad world.
Maybe one day we will wake up
And realize it’s all just a dream.

Nicola Cassidy

Shamed

Shamed for being too fat too skinny,
For being a slut or a nun.
What people don’t get is that it’s not fun.
To be 16 is a nightmare,
The mass pressure of society.
To get good grades, be the best, think ahead,
It all gives me anxiety.
Where the girls are judged
And the boys are glorified.
Where insecurities are highlighted
And broadcasted to all.

Rose Norton

Life is Short

Life is short.
At any moment, at any time,
You can leave your friends
You can leave your family
And all that’s left is the news of a tragedy.

Life is short.
If you want to eat the cake, eat the cake
If you want to buy the shoes, buy the shoes.
Do what you want! You have nothing to lose!
Life is short.

Live every day like it’s your last
Because it could possibly be the last…
Sometimes people need a scare
A scare that makes them realise
“Oh… My life could possibly end”

Cherish your life…
Make the most out of everything you do.

Aoife O’Meara

This is a Place

This is a place filled with hate
The ground moves and earth shakes
Life dies and you can’t wake
Where lies hide and the truth is fake
Death thrives with heart aches
Where no one cares but only take
Where darkness falls and people break
And worlds turn into headaches

Jack

A Companion

A companion, a friend,
Someone to talk to.
Two ears with no voice,
They will never judge you.
One little heart that is
So full of affection,
They will sit, they will listen,
They will give you their attention.
A lifelong friend who will always be there,
A dog is for life.

Ruby Cudden

The World Before Us

The world before us, it puts people to shame, with people to blame, it’s no longer a game
The world before us, both good and bad, it’s often very sad, but can make someone glad
The world before us is nothing but politics, and walls, and dictators, and chauvinist imitators
The world before us is getting warmer and colder,
More crying, more dying, more warheads are flying
The world before us is also quite nice, with tech stuff, Star Trek stuff, and futures to be made
The world before us is changing and changing, one thing becomes two, and then we have a few
The world before us is this and is that and is right and is wrong and judgemental and cruel
But just remember that we’re not yet dismembered,
But the world before us could change it very soon.

Matthew Joyce

Time

Time seems like it goes so fast
It wasn’t too long ago when I was out having a blast
I was out and about not a care in the world
Having a laugh with my grandparents just how it should
I would wake up early full of excitement

Alana Moore

Untitled

Living in the families’ grave
Trying to brush it off
Because it’s life
Thinking they’re with you
Because it helps
And knowing it feels right and real
And it’s just out of reach
And it’s there
But you realize it’s not there
They’re just memories
Locked in the past
For you to look back on.
We need to use the lives
And memories of the ones we love
To learn and grow
To continue what
Those who have gone
Had to show

Ashley Holloway

Untitled

I’ve never been happier than now
Life got easier somehow
I feel I have everyone
It’s been a long run
I feel really good
I knew I would
I’m glad it’s with all the best
Could say I feel blessed
Not saying I’ve not gone through things
But all the changes life brings

Anon

Untitled

This is where we go to school
This is where we come to learn
This is where we sit all day
Wishing our whole lives away

Then one day we’ll all grow up
Realize that it was actually fun
Wonder why you wished away
All the good times from those good days

Rachel Scanlon

Untitled

We could be falling down glass mountains
Landing in burning floors of molten lava.
Yet still,
We are alive, dancing, singing, loving life.
As our imagination takes us on any journey
We want it to.
Around the world… The galaxy… The universe.
As long as the words stays clear,
As long as you have no fear.

Anon

We’re Told

They say that words won’t hurt you yet
We’re surround by hateful ones before every sunset
Yet it’s all we see is disrespect on the internet
They say be outspoken but they see it as a threat
They say be unique but when we are
We’re told to conform and try not to be too upset
Yet I have nothing I regret
But forget it all we still end up in a casket

Alanah

Untitled

I sometimes don’t see the point in school,
They tell us to ‘be yourselves’ and to ‘be unique’
But shut us down every time we do.
They say express yourself, but when we do
We are either left with confidence or we laughed at.
Going home to thinking your weird isn’t even half that,
Feelings sneak up and you never even planned that,
And it makes you quite mad.
But at the end of the day it’s rather quite sad,
How people can be so stupid by judging what you had,
But you shake it off and you become rather glad.

Anon

First Past the Post

They are under starters orders, the white flag is raised
And they’re off and running, the crowd are amazed
With their tickets in their hand hoping theirs is first past the post
If he is first past the post you will be sure to boast
Two furlongs he is travelling well and the crowd shouting them home
Now inside the final furlong them all flat with you hear the whip and hoofs thunder closer
Coming up towards the line you know its tight but thinks he is up
Waiting anxiously for the winner to be announced who has won the Gold Cup.

Luke Keena

Tim

I was on the beach with my umbrella
When all of a sudden I seen this fella
I went and had a chat with him
And he told me his name was Tim

As we were talking it started to rain
And Tim pulled out a sliver chain
He hit me right across the face
As Tim ran like he was in a race

Gary