Monday, March 17, 2014

St. Patrick’s Day 1975


Dick Brennan wrote poems for personal occasions like weddings and retirement parties, but he also wrote for his Eastern Airlines colleagues at Kennedy Airport, and his friends at The Commuter's Club in East Rockaway, where he contributed regular poems for their newsletter.

In this poem, he gives us all a history lesson, not just about the Irish, but about the United States as well.  And even though he wrote this poem almost 40 years ago, his closing wishes remain oh so true today.  Enjoy!  


St. Patrick’s Day 1975

It started many years ago,
When Adam first left home.
Since then the Irish as we know
The whole wide world did roam.
In bygone days, they sailed each wave,
Even kidnapped Patrick as a slave.
He brought them faith, he changed their way,
He’s still remembered to this day.

St. Brendan The Sailor crossed many a sea,
Came to America in Five Hundred A.D.
But ‘twas uninhabited—no one to convert—
So back to Ireland—the land of his birth.

Much later from Russia, people came.
We know them as Indians. Who gave them this name?
Isabella believed Columbus was sound
When he quoted Galileo that the world was round.
Though centuries late, all credit is due
For his voyage in Fourteen and Ninety-Two.

Since then many people have come to this land,
All colors, all races, all creeds hand in hand.
Working together, they fought for the west,
And made America the greatest, the best.

But one tiny island—on the map just a dot
Did more than her share, in fact quite a lot.
Her sons and daughters have built up her name:
Ireland can truly be proud of their fame.

Right now they say we have a recession,
But we’re happy and proud—never show depression.
We shall overcome, what more can I say,
Rejoice and thank God on St. Patrick’s Day.

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