Chasing The Wind

By James Linnane

James Linnane is a poet and storyteller from Ballivor in County Meath whose writings pay scant regard to what is considered acceptable or to mainstream sensitivities. A candid and often endearing account of a life lived hard, the poems come with a humour and observation that is more than just simple musing. Old as he says is a season in itself and he rails against the inequities and injustice of those who simply don’t care or as he describes as hiding in a land of the dead. The rhyming and pattern of beats here is often excellent and come with a caution that is unforgiving whether he is reflecting on kindness or the madness of war or simply remembering childhood. A soul-searching account of a journey well done but with a price to pay he writes with a passion or play on words that finds inspiration in other texts and is a reminder that times change and don’t sit comfortable.
by
Frank Murphy, (poet and author)Killmessen, Co. Meath

• Language: English
• Publisher: James Linnane
• Release date: Apr 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781916380219

James Linnane

James Linnane was born in Galway, Ireland. He has had various jobs with a career spanning bar work, security, construction and engineering work. He now lives in Ballivor, County Meath, with his wife and two daughters. His first book, 'Never Take an Irishman Seriously Unless He’s Armed' was published in New York, in 1988. 'The Life and Times of a Gotcha', published in 2011, comprises a fictionalised memoir of his experiences working in the security industry. James is a member of The Meath Writers Circle, also The Boyne Writers and the internet writers group, Splinter4All.

Book preview

Chasing the wind

by

James Linnane

ePub: 978-1-9163802-2-1-9

Mobi: 978-1-9163802-2-6

With thanks to my wonderful techy daughter Stephanie for all her help and my thanks to Gert and Simon

 Introduction

Well my friends here I am back again another minor tome of poetry. I have been scribbling poetry since I was 17, good and bad, about everything that happens in my life: joy, pain, despair, frustration, love, hate and anything in between, can induce a poem from me. It is how I express myself. It is truly a part of me and a way to speak the things I feel and think. Some are writtten about others, some are just my mad imagination, or taking a swipe at an unfair society.

Changes as I age, as life changes, as our world changes around me. My fears and worries, my children small, then grown up, my wife and I getting old and sick betimes. Friends and relations dying, leaving me bereft and lost. Moving house and jobs in younger days, in and out of hospitals as I age. I remember days protesting, involved in political activity, mostly ending in disappointment, as life often does.

My sense of humour is important to me and I do try to have it in my writing whenever I can, some things I write tongue in cheek and indeed some are serious. Life is far too serious, never lose your sense of fun.

But our world is never to be taken for granted, we learn every day, see new things, learn as we grow, regardless of age. I have led a very full life and I hope this is reflected in my writings. I have also been in some great writers groups through the years and these people have certainly been part of my education and learning my art, an ongoing thing, till I wind up under the sod. You people take care out there. I send you all my love, thank you for reading my latest book of poetry, I do hope you enjoy it.

Regards from,

James Linnane,

Ballivor,County Meath.

Ireland

2020

     I was determined to learn the difference between knowledge and foolishness, wisdom and madness. But I found I might as well be chasing the wind. The wiser you are the more worries you have, the more you know the more it hurts.

      (Ecclesiastes Chapter 1 Verse 17)

Index

The Thinking

A Way Home

A Shadow Of Myself

As You Leave

Cheated

Damage Limitation

In Love And Peace

Chasing The Wind

Fling Wide Your Doors

For The Best

Making Faces At The Mirror

Last Stand

Never Learn

Insomnia

Big Bad Roy

Fuck The NCT

Get Over It

Lines Across The Ether

Ireland Why Do You Weep

My Brother

The Long Ten Minutes

The Swan

The Godbox

The Healing

The Aftertaste

The Fallen

The Quiet Tumult

So What's The Point?

Wha Wha Wha?

The Washing Machine Has Eaten All Of My Socks

Waterwars

Unctuous Company

With Love In My Heart

All About The Money

Wet Turf Won't Start A Fire

To An Unseen Enemy

Too Much Sex

We Shall

All Under Control

Crimes Of Passion

Mistakes

But God Was Laughing

Another Babylon

A Wasting World

Give And Take

Crushed

This Land

The Upside Of Down

The Wake Up Call

The Extra Mile

Play Ball

Reap And Sow

Parting

Snakes And Adders

Sovereignty

Some Other Evening

The Doing And The Brittle

Spider

If I Cared For You

The Restless

9/11-The Lies They Told

The Lonely Planet

What's The Damage

Over Now

Skyline

Soul And Body

Still Breathing

Old Friend

Spectator

The Dead

The Glowing

Blazing Suns

Dreamtime

Me And The System

Dissipation

Held

I Sold My Old Car Today

The Joke

This Nation Will Rise Again

But Still We Stand

Temples Of Lies

To The End

About The Author

The Thinking

The sky is raining, my heart's in pain,

There seems to be no reason but there is one just the same.

All might be well but I am still unsure.

Every day is heaven sent, my mouth is closed, my thoughts are pure.

Everything I know is contradicted by some new lesson.

I will unlearn, I must unthink, sinking, sinking, a progression

Of uncertainty, an island, a hard wave,

A long shot, a despot, coming and going to pieces,

Now then write it, feel it, touch it,make the play,

Play the game, crave an audience and kill the scene,

Dream a big mountain, build your castle on sand.

Braving the days, as destiny paves the way

For some ridiculous aftermath to what has gone before.

He who loves his life will lose it and lose it,

He who hates it must take no chances,

Must cover all bases and cower and cower.

From infinity itself, there is no plain of thought,

That is in itself perfection and the unraveling of all.

Those little details would surely lead to madness,

The sorting, sifting, correcting and shifting

Thoughts and logic. I go from place to place to place,

There's no pinning it down, there's no coming face to face,

Life is life is crap, but just the same we do our best.

Our best is never enough, but we must make do

For now. I don't really wish for answers,

I don't really care to know at all about the deep meanings.

Warm feelings, and pleasant evenings by the fireside,

With your cat, imagine that.

Do not seek too deep, depth is merely an illusion,

There is no clarity to be found, only encroaching darkness,

Poaching our last grain of sanity.

Don't listen to the voices,

They can only destroy, destroy and consume

You up, in the all obliterating flame. Thoughts