The Tuesday Poem: The Good Old Days

‘The music of what happens’, said great Fionn, ‘that is the finest music in the world.’

And did his warriors not go on

to ask Fionn what the saddest music is?

I catch an old-style sing-song from

my Alzheimer neighbour’s house.

She is home for Christmas,

her family have gathered in her name.

They chat about times past,

look back on her behalf to happy days.

Maybe Fionn’s response was, ‘The music

of yearning: that is the saddest music in the world.’

They press on with their reminiscing,

then launch into a further bygone number.

They do this in remembrance of her.

Dennis O’Driscoll (1954-2012) Born in Tipperary, one of Ireland’s most popular poets. This poem is taken from his just published posthumous collection Update Poems 2011-2012 (Anvil Poetry)