What Lies Beneath

Never terribly
far away, they
clamour constantly
to make their
presence felt..

Suppressed,
repressed,
bubbling
just below
the surface,
they jeer this
veneer of
stolid, solid
middle-aged
respectability

"Hush", I tell them
this is not
the time nor place
to show your face
and we are not
as young as
we once used to be

I guess
I'd always
just assumed
that they would
fade away and die
dissolving with
the remnants of
my long-lost
misspent youth

But no, they tease
and taunt and pester,
these ghosts of
rampant yesteryear.

"Someday", I promise,
"I will let you
out to play again".

And then, By God,
let the world beware...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This was written for an Allpoetry Contest "Where the Wild Things Are"

.... And Hell Followed.....

They have been among us
for some time now
You could have passed
any of them in the street...

Discrete, they have been waiting, waiting
they flex an occasional muscle
independantly devastating
a portion of humanity
communicating transcendentantly
to apportion synchronicity
each one having wrought
a limited, controlled vengeance
without thought of consequence
cold, purposeful malevolence

Preying on the weak
playing on the weakness
of the lowest of mankind
to further bind their vile finality
our reality is that in a while, soon
they will fashion soul's destruction

Our sole defence is to commune
the forces of collective compassion
to pit the milk of human kindness
against mounted apocalyptic horses
and enemies of man, long recounted...
War
Pestilence
Famine
Death

P.J. Murphy
(c) 2005

www.guitarsongs.info Guitar Lessons+Guitar Tips+DVD Lessons+Voice Tutor+Piano Lessons Poetry

Nycola Murphy and Marc Hillis Wedding Celebration

My beautiful daughter Nycola married Marc, the love of her life, last Friday, August 21 2009.

I will be using this post to share video and photo moments from the day

So far, I have uploaded a 5-minute video of wonderful moments from the church ceremony, recorded and edited by Nyc's talented cousin Paul O'Brien, and a really poignant slideshow of magical moments captured by Paul's sister Linda. Also there is Cathal Beale's hilarious speech/poem, a clip of Nyc and the bridesmaids on stage for "The Promise", and a clip of their first dance, to "At Last".

August 28 - added a (very) amateur attempt to make a video montage from some of the snaps supplied by guests, with The Shins "New Slang" as backing track.

August 30 - added a clip of Marc standing in on drums for Jimi Hendrix' "Fire" with the fantastic "White Chocolate".

Sept 2 - added the brilliant "White Chocolate" first dance to T.Rex "20th Century Boy".

Sept 2 - added clips from Nyc & Marc Wedding - Part Deux, the fantastic session on the 'day after', featuring Cathal Beale's definitive version of Kings of Leon "Sex on Fire", and Phil's magical headbanging to the band's rendition of Rage Against the Machine "In the Name Of".

Sept 4 - added my "Father of the Bride" speech. Reluctantly.

Sept 5 - added another slideshow "I only have eyes for you"

Just scroll down to get into da groove....!

~~~

Paul O'Brien's video moments:

If you can't see the embedded video above, you can watch this on YouTube at Nycola and Marc Wedding moments with Arcade Fire "Wake Up" ~~~ Paul's sister Linda compiled a fantastic photo montage, in a video with Ben Folds "The Luckiest" as the background music. If this doesn't spring a tear to your eye, you have no soul! Linda captured exactly what Nycola and Marc wanted, unposed and natural images, with a gorgeous soundtrack. We've had to have the mop handy everytime this has been shown to family and friends. Again, if the embedded video doesn't display correctly, you can view the slideshow on MySpace at Nycola and Marc's Wedding - photo slideshow with Ben Folds "The Luckiest". This one comes with a warning - watch alone, and with a full pack of Mansize tissues. ~~~ At the reception, Nycola and the bridesmaids ( minus poor Sinead who had sustained a photo-opportunity leg injury early in the day ) threw some shapes to Girls Aloud's "Promise", this is a short clip of their slick moves: If this doesn't display properly, you can see it at this Nycola and Bridesmaids dance to "Promise" YouTube link. ~~~ This is the happy couple's first dance as husband and wife: Any problem, view it on YouTube at Nycola and Marc's Wedding - First Dance (At Last) I made my first attempt at creating a Windows Movie Maker Video using edited photos I got from some of the guests, with The Shins "New Slang" as the backing track: Get it direct from YouTube on Nycola and Marc Wedding: guests photos ~~~ Marc (Harvey) rocking it out on drums with the best wedding band EVER - White Chocolate with a cover of "Fire" by Jimi Hendrix. The YouTube video link is Nycola and Marc wedding - Marc drumming with White Chocolate ~~~ One of the songs on Nyc & Marc's signature wedding CD was The Flamingoes "I only have eyes for you". You have been playing the CD, havent' you??! Hopeless romantic that I am, I made a short video which tries to capture their 'special moments', with this song as the backing track. My 2nd attempt at Movie Maker, with photos supplied from Linda, Eileen, Liz, Marion and Sara. Keep the hanky handy... Unfortunately the YT thought police seem to have blocked this, if the embedded video above doesn't play, YouTube it here' Nycola and Marc - I only have eyes for you with a string version of the song which managed to get past the filter-monkeys. ~~~ Cathal, one of Marc's groomsmen had the crowd in stitches with his contribution to the speeches - a poem celebrating the many good times they've shared over the years: This is the text of Cathal's speech ~~~ I have to say, I've had really nice feedback on my own speech, despite the fact that I had Elvis "Shake-a-ma-leg" syndrome, and I was never gonna be able to put in words how magical it has been to be Nycola's father all of these years, nor how delighted I am that she chose Marc as her husband. But... embarrassing as it may be, this is what it sounded like: Again, it's on YouTube at Nycola and Marc wedding - Father of the Bride speech ~~~ The wedding band "White Chocolate" were a huge hit with all guests young and old, from the first song the crowd hit the dancefloor, and never sat down again! This is the band playing their opening song, a brilliant cover of T.Rex's "20th Century Boy". This clip is available on YouTube at: Nycola and Marc Wedding - White Chocolate play T.Rex "20th Century Boy" ~~~ As is the trend these days, it was a two-day wedding celebration. After brunch at the hotel, and ( for most ) an afternoon snooze, we'd organized a musical extravaganza for the Saturday night in the Wicked Swan, with Blue Moose providing the mainstay of the music, and multiple guest appearances by the hugely musically talented friends of the bride and groom. Here is Cathal (again) giving Kings of Leon a run for their money with his rendition of "Sex On Fire": Any problems, check it out on YouTube - Cathal rocks "Sex on Fire" ~~~ And, of course, the night wouldn't have been comple without Phil headbanging to "Rage" - 'In the name of'. Video clip courtesy of Becky ( just passing the blame here... ) Any problems viewing this, just go to the YouTube link at: Phil rocks Rage Against The Machine "In The Name Of..."

More soon!

PJ

Lumber Paralysis

"The opposite of love is not hate, it's  indifference." Elie Wiese



feigning oblivion
to sprawled
lifeless lumber,
fallen,  felled

Our limbs loft
rigidly erect
proud,  aloof,
upstanding

we gaze skyward,
haughtily avoid
awkward  vista of
wretch stretched

uncouthly oozing
sap solution
over  our exclusive
deep-pile carpet

If anyone
asks...

we  heard

Nothing.

( If a tree fell in the forest and everyone pretended not to notice, would it make a sound? Are bears catholic? Does the pope shit in the woods? )

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Queen of Ghosts

Triumvirate Deity, exalted by Zeus,
Hekate Queen of Ghosts am I,
Goddess of moonlight and magick,
Protectress of the wilderness

In Phrygia and Lagina
devout acolytes pay homage yet;
the lost and the swollen pray
for safe deliverance; safe delivery

Favouring ever my faithful,
sorcerers and necromancers
beseech favour: howling hounds
herald my intercessions

Wary traveller lost, receives
Divine guidance at crossed road,
Titan torch throws illumination
to light the righteous path

Queen of the Night, traversing
that precipice betwixt the worlds;
nourished by obeisant offerings
lost souls I steer to Hades' haven

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Man, you been a naughty boy....

encouragingly
tho fragile
I have
not yet
cracked...


despite
scrambling clear
of a dozen
sizzling
attempts
including
some near-miss
crack squad
shell attacks

out of the firing line
into the (friendly) fire
bubbling in hot water,
hard-boiled

sitting ducks lay, while
the chicken's safe in it's coop

but

this will not
be over easy

Mister Bush

I am the egg man
There's a one-legged man
You have the war lust

goo goo g'joob...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This was written for an Allpoetry Contest "Egg" 

pjmurphypoems.blogspot.com 

I'll have you to remember...

Through the heavy clouds of grief
The melodies still find their way
The voice ageless, sweet, comforting
The songs, old, familiar friends
Lifting heavy hearts in the long days
Lulling loved ones to weary sleep at night


The glittering trophies reflect the joy
In the hearts of all who heard her sing
And the deep pride of her loving family
Her rock of support for each performance
Marked with hushed respect while she enthralled
And rapturous applause when song was ended


'Sunrise, Sunset', 'Sweet Sixteen',
'When I grow too old to dream'
'Yidisha Mama', 'Summertime', 'Croce Di Oro'
Old songs, classic songs, sung by many
But imbued with her innocence of youth
And wisdom of age, assumed a new and vibrant life


Her family was her world, and now her legacy
Fine people, kind-hearted and compassionate
Filled with her spirit, strength and courage
Her music, the expression of her love for them
Truth rang timeless in every breath of her singing
It's echoes resound as long as there are memories

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For Nan Cullimore (my late mother-in-law), her spirit and her voice live on.