Ireland is one of the most beautiful countries I've ever visited and her people , the most charismatic. Apart from that, underneath all this, her heart breaks. This is the other , more serious side of Ireland and why the heart of the Rebel in me beats there with her Rebels too. I wrote this on March 16, 1999.

This poem was written after hearing Gerry Adams, President of Sein Finn, lecture here at The Savannah College of Art and Design. He spoke of the terrorist bomb that killed attorney Rosemary Nelson the day before the lecture, while her children heard the explosion from their nearby classroom.

This is also dedicated to her memory.

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Ode to Bobby Sands

Murals of excrement
As art upon the walls
While moans of Irelands lost sons
Are echoed in the halls
Devoid of human comforts
He passed his days for us
His emptiness, this prison...
For souls of Ireland must
Redeem his honor somehow
Restore, relieve, reset
Timetables lost in history
And put the Brits to test
Their 'redcoats' laced with hatred
Terrorists bombs for us
The folks that Bobby led in strength
In him was Irelands trust
His cell a tomb forever
His goodness shaken, "Nay!"
For Bobby's name is on the tongues
Of Irishmen today
He gave his life for freedom
His memory serves him well
Let's put the peace in Ireland
And bring her out of hell!

© 1999 Susan Kathryn de Vegter