Wednesday, January 23, 2008

"The Hot Corner"


“Oh, those winter nights in Limerick City
with summer passed, Oh what a pity
Yes the winds whistled as the gales moved in
too cold to move slowly, or think of sin”

Turn up the collar with cap over the head
And squint the eyes to see what's ahead
With no money to spend, still places to go
where the boys would gather be it rain or snow

I recall one now, and my feelings grow warmer
As I remember the place, called "The Hot Corner"
Some people say, there was no such place
"Get away with you now. and quicken your pace

But there was such a spot and I'll tell you some more
Because these are the forgotten, that make up the lore
Out the Dublin Road on the right hand side
stood Good Shepherd Convent, way back inside

There the nuns had their home, rosaries and pearls
they also had room for some troubled girls
The back of the Convent touched Pennywell road
where the nuns took in laundry to maintain their abode

At the end of that road, "The Long Can" ran right
There at that corner we had many a good night
No politics, no religion, that was the trend
Everything else was discussed without end

We stood at that corner, where the manhole held tight
as the heat and the steam found its way out at night
One man made his bed there, laid out quite level
"I wonder where you are now,? "Old Dan, the Devil"

Sometimes I wonder how better off we'd be
to remember the little things that filled us with glee
As winter moves in, the body grows warmer
With thoughts of old Limerick
and the Long Cans "Hot Corner"

Michael Christopher Daly


The Shadow 1


I saw a shadow on my bedroom wall

No doubt it belonged to you

That silhouette brought memories back

To a time when our love was new

Then I closed my eyes for a second

To wipe away a tear

As the past came back so lovingly

I wanted to hold it so near

The sharpness of this shadow

With the details and its size

Made me want to hold you tightly

And gaze into those blue eyes

I raised my hand and pointed

Wanting to touch your beautiful face

Remembering all the love we shared

With every moment and every embrace

My hand stopped short of the silhouette

As I felt a falling tear

Then the shadow on my bedroom wall

Just began to disappear.

Michael Christopher Daly

August 23, 2007