About Me

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Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, now living in Cheshire, England. I started to write poetry some years ago, as a hobby. I have enjoyed that new venture very much. My preferences are for long and micro-form poetry styles. A first book of poetry ~ Reason Without Rhyme, was published in December 2013. A second book ~ Fifty Seven Pebbles, was published in September 2015...I am presently compiling the content for my third book. Thank you for visiting my Blog... COPYRIGHT: The entire copyright and content of this Blog belongs to the author Eileen T O'Neill. Nothing should be copied, reproduced or hosted as per RSS feed by any other party. {This particularly applies to the USA company Feedspot.com}

Thursday 14 March 2024

Make-Believe...

I always felt safe and secure in my favourite place
It was an exclusive location known only to me
I could go there at any time of the day or night
Being eleven seemed quite an old age back then
I enjoyed my time and friends at primary school
I was nervous about moving to a new high school
Most afternoons I had to do errands for my mother
I enjoyed shopping alone and having pocket money
Other worlds were known about through radio news
Vietnam was so far away but it was always a topic
The world I knew existed between school and home
Television brought new experiences straight into my life
I recall how afraid I felt when violent things happened
Daily murder and mayhem on the streets of my city
I had thought that killing was only in cowboy movies
Or very far away where the president had been shot
I frequently delved into worlds of endless imagination
I absorbed the many great adventures of Nancy Drew
Lived for my favourite comic June and Schoolfriend
Make-believe was a quiet place where I could just be
Feeling safe was paramount in my mind back then…

Eileen T O’Neill 14/03/2024

Thursday 7 March 2024

Many Reasons...

Twenty long weeks between the months of dark and light
Hibernation moves quickly once October has dawned
Life bounds itself indoors with strands of colourful lights
I long for the sound of birdsong and the scent of spring
Marking time with forward plans and new opportunities
Fifteen different tasks make up a household to-do list
Each task requires motivation and a great deal of energy
It is easier to put it all off until a brighter day has arrived
Flaky eyesight excuses another day without any reading
Raymond Carver's novel Beginners, still awaits its time
A bookmark has marked page four for at least six months
I feel sad that I have neglected to savour his observations
Four weeks until a suitcase must be prepared for travel
It is always easier to select clothes when the sun shines
Such an incentive encourages an exciting countdown
Motivation arrives easily when reasons are  positive...

Eileen T O'Neill 07/03/2024 


Friday 1 March 2024

More Than Tea...

There is nothing more welcoming than a cup of tea
It is a first thought upon return from holiday places
Tasting the goodness of home’s simple familiarity
Tea has always been the backbone of Irish hospitality
Teapots are forever brimming with welcoming warmth
The chatter of conversation and the clattering of cups
Whether served in delicate china cups or favourite mugs
There is nothing to break social awkwardness like tea
During times of stress or woes tea is the go-to calmative
Grandfathers consumed more tea than drams of whiskey
The first drink of the day and usually the last drink at night
A cuppa held in one’s hands brings its own contentment…

Eileen T O’Neill 01/03/2024

Thursday 8 February 2024

Authentic...

Within our own abodes we will usually feel safe and secure
Doors and windows can be opened or locked as desired
We tend to trust circles of family, friends, and neighbours
There are certain familiarities we understand and allow
Online worlds and communities may seem like friendships
There are recognisable faces which greet each connection
Over the years these links become regular parts of daily life
Friends of friends seek us out trying to get to know us as well
Protocols can be easily set aside once we feel comfortable
There is a serious need to be alert to pretensions and falsities
External images can hide multitudes of craftily devised frauds
Lonely hearts looking for new love can be easily hoodwinked
Catfishing is the use of charm to entice and entrap a victim
Capturing secrets and details by which extortion can follow   
It is as distasteful as phishing whereby one’s identity is stolen
Perpetrators gain access to personal and financial information
Whilst it is so easy to reach far beyond our home environment
There is a need for extreme vigilance within this online world
Being alert to the authenticity of interactions and friendships...


Eileen T O’Neill 08/02/2024 

Thursday 1 February 2024

February's Arrival..

Today is a day that I have been longing to see
January’s longer darker days almost passed
Dreariness smothered winter’s enthusiasm
Energy laid low and snuffed out creativity
February’s arrival affords lots of fresh hope
This first day is the feast day of Saint Brigid
The celebrated mother patroness of Ireland
Patron of poets, scholars, midwives, and sailors
Revered by both Pagan and Christian cultures
Brigid’s day indicates that springtime is nearby
Daylight begins to stretch into the length of day
Calendar countdown dates move much closer
Anticipated holidays are on the nearer horizon
A first family birthday of the year to celebrate
There is a new purpose to life’s daily meaning
Displays of daffodils and tulips already in view..
 
Eileen T O’Neill 01/02/2024

Sunday 28 January 2024

Shoes...

This is really a story of personal endearment
Having had an eye for certain types of shoes
As a child I longed to own a Cinderella style
Sparkly Princess play shoes with satin bows
Sensible school shoes chosen for me instead
Dull dark colours bought for practical reasons
Boring silent footsteps when walking outside
I yearned to select a more appealing style
Summertime sandals with a seventies wedge
More appropriate for the season and an age
Passing fads did not really grab my attention
I had no desire to teeter upon towering heels
Comfort and safety informed my purchases
I knew exactly what design I was searching for
It took me many years before I discovered them
My attention taken one afternoon in Dallas
Gorgeous black velvety shoes with kitten heels
They are that go-to footwear for special occasions
Times when confidence can carry me through
Shoes are an accompaniment to life’s events
So many experiences and journeys undertaken
Sense and sensibility nicely fitted with panache…
 Eileen T O’Neill 28/01/2024

Thursday 18 January 2024

Bridges...

Life is full of pathways and meeting points
Various plans are laid out simply by destiny
Other directions come about by choices
Pivotal moments often cause a dilemma
It can be difficult to find a happy way back
If lost in a confusion or a lonely isolation
Stepping up to acknowledge challenges
May require a transition between thoughts
It takes bravery to cross a wavy wooden bridge
Especially when taunted by intense winds
It once carried me from petrification to success
Personal achievement is to reach the other side…

Eileen T O’Neill 18/01/2024