Virginia College, Virginia, Co. Cavan

I Lie Awake

I lie awake, unable to sleep in the desolate dark,
That cast cruel shadows over my heart
I try to escape, cut myself off from the world, safe and calm
I cannot as it’s hard to hold the future in my palm
I work, trapped, no-where to go, not until its time
I know the work must be done, I try not to whine

But when I’m happy, with people I trust and who trust in me
I can be the person I was meant to be
I can be free, no one to impress except myself
I can be me, above all else

Brehan Flanagan

The Thoughts

The thoughts that I keep buried deep
Under lock and key
Burnished black and bullet proof
Beneath the deep blue sea
Where bitter sweet memories
Are stashed away and stored
Upon a distant planet
For nobody to record

I visualize each moment
That next important step
I realize that my greatest power
Is that I don’t regret
Nor worry about the little things
That I cannot control
Those little secrets that I keep
Are the things that make me whole

Caitlyn Hannon

Peaceful Thinking

Finally, I can relax here, listening to the birds.
My mind explodes in massive waves
A million different words.
I’m always free just lying here,
Softly on the grass,
I get to think of all my life,
In future, present and past.
I wish oh I wish I could never leave,
This peace between the trees.
I feel peace here and love to feel,
The soft, warm summer breeze.
I gaze at all the flowers
And the colours they possess,
All the while I always think,
How will my life progress?
I watch the sun move slowly down
While thinking of the day,
And wondering about who in my life
Is really here to stay.

Saóirse-Éireann Nugent

Shadows Chasing Me

I fall asleep knowing there are shadows chasing me,
All I want to do is dive into the white sea.
I stay and wonder, plundering inside my poetic dreams,
Falling through a curtain of sunshine the whole world beaming down on me.
I breathe the air, not aware of what is going on around me.
While I sit still in the cold breeze.
I gaze into their eyes, completely taking me by surprise.
Not listening to anyone’s advice.
I sit and wait for the clock to tick away,
Listening to the children play every day.

Ruth Rastenyte

Wondering

I lay awake at night
Wondering what tomorrow brings
I start to contemplate
Every single little thing
I drift away till my worries
Are all a distant memory
I wake up and wonder
Why this could be happening to me
I try to forget my troubles
And to leave it all behind
The friends that I hold dear to me
Bring me peace of mind

Thomas Kenny

Broad Shoulders

I have broad shoulders
I have a stocky build
I get told I act like a boy
But I was just unskilled
I get slagged about my walk
But I would just let them talk
And yes, this all use to annoy me
But now I use it to the best of my ability
I love my stocky build and broad shoulders
But not many would agree
It makes me good at Gaelic and rugby
I am now proud of my build
Because my build makes me, me!

Anna Smith

Ginger and Proud

Yes, my hair is ginger.
Yes, I am aware.
I used to care an awful lot,
But now I couldn’t care.
I used to say “I’m strawberry blond”
But then I’d grown so tired.
I used to really hate my hair
But now it is my fire!
I love my hair,
Now I am strong,
But people still do tease.
Now I don’t take it personal,
As I feel like a queen!

Saóirse-Éireann Nugent

Sport

Playing GAA for the local club
Unlike Derm I’m no sub
Having a doss year in school
And when summer comes around, I’ll be in the pool
I’m a centre mid in soccer
And I hope this season
We will pull off a shocker

Paddy Nagle

In the Morning

Getting up in the morning
Knowing todays going to be boring
Walking down the road
Looking at a wild toad
When I get home, I eat
Then before I go to bed, I brush my teeth

Jack Cassidy

Poetry Slam

Poetry slam my passion, 8 lines
School is like Ireland in many ways,
Sometimes you can have a sunny day,
Sometimes you can have a rainy day,
But the best day of all is the snow day.
The white beast is rarer than a dog chasing a hound.
In my school, when we are playing soccer I like to clown around.
Every time I win the match, I get a pretty sweet pound.
So please listen to the message that I have to say, have fun and be sound

John

Reality

My life is not a mess
But it could be cleaner

My work needs to be done
But I never asked for it

My parents are not strict
But they could be less controlling

My brother is not a waster
But he could listen more

My religion is complicated
But I still have hope

My enemies are cunning
But I’m no angel

My addictions are alluring
But it’s me who gives into them

My demons are strong
But I always sink down to their level

My life is not a mess
But it could be cleaner

Brehan Flanagan

This is It

This is it, the count-down is done
The clock has run out we have won
With the fire burning deep down with in our soul
We don’t give up even though you expect us to fold
We might be small but we are made of more
We may not be notorious boys but nor
Are we your kitchen maids
As your stereotypes are starting to fade
We are rising up to be something more
To be something great
There is no need for you to be afraid
We may not be equal
But you can’t keep’s us down
We will win the county title and see
Who’s the boss now

Caitlyn Hannon

Everything

Everything my nanny does
Is something special filled with love
Her cups of tea, her nice long chats
She was always there for this and that
She loved her grandchildren very much
And even had a special touch
I miss you nanny everyday
And wish I can see you another day

Nadine Clarke

Born the Same

We were all born the same,
10 little fingers, 10 little toes.
Throughout our childhood,
We see no harm in the world,
Everything is so simple.
Then come the teenage years,
Instead of everyone being the same,
We are considered lame.
We are constantly being judged,
Everything from our frocks to our locks.
It’s hard to get through these dreaded years,
But as long as you have a good mother you will have no fears,
For a mothers love will wipe away all those tears.

Laura Bradley

Rugby

I can feel the icy breeze
Brush my tender skin
I can feel the warmth of those I love
Burning deep therein
I enjoy rugby on a Saturday.
All my worries fade away.
With every tackle, every hit
I feel along the way
For everything is off my mind
Finally I feel free
I earn my hard earned money
Busy as a bumblebee

Anna Smith

Untitled

I have a belt of grub of a Tuesday evening
It was so devourable I thought I was dreaming
I go for an enjoyable kip every night
I would up to the sight of Eddie Durkin and got a massive fright
I grind hard laying bricks since the tender age of six
Then I looked over and seen Lenny up to his old tricks
I go for a belt of the bus
Than it was Easter break and that was a big plus

Paddy Nagle

I Wake Up

I wake up every morning with the sun piercing through the curtains.
The sheep will lamb, and the cow will calf and that is for certain

The tractor grunts, she trundles her way to the farm.
To where I will protect all my animals from harm

The joys of life are ruined by sorrows and by death.
We wait anxiously for harvest holding tightly to our breath

I make my money the hard way to lose it all too quick
The barman and the bookies know my every trick

I have scarred my heart my legs and my arm
In the only place I belong, upon my farm

Diarmuid O’Reilly

Irish

I was born proud to be born Irish,
I was baptised in our local parish
Had great craic altogether,
Got blown away, light as a feather
I enjoy a good hot cup of tae
To cure the grey depressing day
Watched them culchies spread their slurry,
Going home to chips in curry
Wrapped our hearts in splendid green
And frightened kids on Halloween.

Nadine Clarke

School

I go to school every day,
To learn, to socialise and play.
The torture starts just after 9
And goes on until the end of time.
Frustrated teachers giving out
Brutal bullies boss about.
The days go by in slow-mo pain
The holidays quick as falling rain.
One day we will never return
Until the world around us burns.

Laura Bradley

Awe and Wonder

I spent my life in awe and wonder, listening to the belt of thunder
I thought about confusing things and more confusion is all it brings
I have all my knowledge that I have gathered so far, my mind going as fast as an f1 car
I think about what I’m going to do next as I sit there going through different subjects
I get tired and then can’t sleep at night, until the sun comes up and it’s just broad daylight

Jack Cassidy

My First Love

My first love was here
And forever she will be
I want to hold her deeply
In the shade of the oak tree
I looked into her eyes
And I told her that she was mine
Each morning I wake with her
Holds a power so divine
That diamonds not cut it
Her breath so soft and warm
We grow closer to each other
Giving shelter from the storm
We will never ever fall out of love
As the new moons fall and rise
We are married for 25 years
And thank God that I’m alive

John

Get Tough

My whole life I always stood back up after I fell and I didn’t let anything stop me,
A little blood on my knees ain’t gonna pause me.
The world can hurt you and beat you up, but you got to get tough,
But don’t go away in handcuffs.
Sometimes you feel like giving up and letting the world hit you at full speed,
But all you really need is some really strong weed.
I’m just joking you don’t need to get tough or rough just be you that’s all you gotta do.

Ruth Rastenyte

Trying to Write

I’m trying to write a poem but its not going great
I hope lassie finds little jimmy down the well for goodness sake
I thought my ideas would be bright
But sadly with this, my ideas are trite
Sorry for cursing I know it’s bad
I just hope nobody will get mad
I still don’t have an idea hope I didn’t waste your time
But I can’t make one of these without making it rhyme

Thomas Kenny (TJ)