On this day, in 1900, my maternal Grandfather, Patrick Anthony Thomas O’Reilly, was born. Like Philip, his father, he was known to write some poems, or several. As a tribute to Pat’s birthday I post this poem I wrote about his Dad back around 1991.
Great Grandfather
His name is Phil O’Reilly,
A gentle man was he;
He liked to notice plants by the road,
And tend animals by his knee.
I once heard as he went to town,
Thinking all alone was he,
Not knowing a sheep followed close behind,
Oh dear, what a scene it would be.
He could pen a poem just like that,
And good it would be too;
Some day, when you have got the time,
I’ll read some of his poems to you.
The saddest thing I know of now,
Is that he’s here no more;
He passed on to our glorious maker,
To live in peace forever more.
It’s not sad that he’s in heaven,
No, not by the slightest bit;
But that he’s not here to entertain us,
To share his tremendous wit.
I wished I could ‘ave known him,
For I’m sure I’d love him heaps;
I’ll just have to wait, while he, with angels,
A place in heaven for me keeps.
Simon C.J Falk circa 1991
Simon's still stanza 