Donegal Morning.............. The cliffs wake slow, their edges pressed against a sky wild with distant light— a hush you can taste in your mouth............. Here, the wind isn’t an idea, it’s a half‑spoken prayer that scours your face, then tucks itself behind your ears............ In the fields, the grass stands stiff like old soldiers at attention, while peat smoke drifts from cottages, smudging the air with memory........... A single sheep silhouette stands on the slope— patient, timeless, a witness to centuries in its wool........... You dip your hand in cold spring water, let it fill your palm and slip through— tell me that’s not enough to feel alive............... No pomp, no ceremony— just the restless sea smashing rock, sea‑salt tang in your lungs, and the quiet promise that the world will go on here, steady as a heartbeat, harsh as the wind, gentle as the light on a Donegal morning.

t’s Just the Light..... They say the morning is a silver coin slid under your door—no miracle— just this—warm weight in your pocket, a gentle nudge to open your eyes........ No grand sweep of destiny here, just the slow breath of dawn brushed across a kitchen table where mugs steam in the soft hush........ A bird taps the window like a small preacher with one message: “Stay, listen—life is here.” And what is life if not the quiet insistence of dew rolling across grass, the measured drip of the sink, the hum of day beginning......... You don’t need fireworks to set your heart on fire— just that slanted morning beam, caught in the dust motes like a choir of tiny lanterns......... When the world outside rattles your bones, close the door, stand still, breathe deep. Notice the light laying itself flat on the floorboards—plain, patient, lasting. That’s enough.

Under the Quiet Sky............. The earth bends low in the damp of evening, Grainfields whispering as if to know The weight of silence we carry, Cracked hands smoothing the fading sun............ I walk the lanes, where the hedgerows curl like old stories, Their thorns reaching out to hold the sky in place. Each footstep is a word, Each breath a promise made To the hills, to the dust, To the unspoken things we never say aloud............ The brook runs on like time— Unhindered, unbothered, A slow song through green shadows That only the worn understand............. Somewhere, far off, A lark threads its song through the cool air, Its voice a thread that ties my heart To what has been, to what might never be again. I wait for dusk to answer, But it, too, keeps its distance.

Whispers Through the Ashen................Pines The sky folds softly at the edge of dawn, Where the hills, in silent echoes, draw their breath. Between the crests, where shadows linger long, I hear the faintest murmur of a death. The wind, like fingers on a forgotten harp, Plays songs of seasons none remember now. The pines, so weathered, fold beneath their scars, Their roots are tangled in the earth's dark brow. I walk alone along this crumbling path, The stones beneath my feet are old and cold. In every crack, a memory's ghost, its wrath Too quiet for the world to ever hold. The years are whispers in the ashen leaves, That drift like dust on long-forgotten graves. Yet still, I walk, as if the heart believes The soil beneath me yet will lift and save. But all around me, in the amber light, The earth keeps secrets no one dares to speak. Each step, a prayer; each breath, a quiet fight, For moments lost and promises too weak.

Stopped Feck Traffic

Stopped Feck Traffic 
a poem by 
A M Donaghey

 As I sit in the traffic with hazard lights flashing.

Irate drivers behind me, clench fists of frustration.

They think it’s my fault, that my car has stopped moving.

And I’m fuming inside that my motors not turning

I open the door and step out on the road

All the drivers, they watch me, and most of them loath.

Grab one hand on the wheel and I steer to the side

Feel like a gazelle, singled out by the pride.

I push the dam car, clear the way for the jury.

They’ve already judged as I see from their fury.

Beeping their horns as a sign of disgust

Swear words on their lips that they readily thrust.

What else can go wrong on a Monday like this?

Wish I didn’t get up, stayed in warm bedded bliss.

For there’s always tomorrow, if I get through this day.

Oh, feck cars and feck traffic, and the hate that they pay

I had posted three poems on this blog, but deleted them as I wanted to enter them in a literary competition up home in Donegal. I was sure I would have a chance to win something or even get the poem published. But, after sending in the poems and paying the entry fee, I didn’t even get a mention. I had read the winning poems from the 3 or 4 years before and thought I would have a good chance. I know my work isn’t perfect, but I didn’t even get an acknowledgment other than an email stating that they received payment for the entry fee which was sent with the poems. I mean, how hard is it to set up an auto email that would thank you for the contribution? I have yo say, it put me off ever entering anything like this again.

 In fairness the winning poems were of a high standard, but the fact I didn’t even get a thank you for the entry, well that was very poor.

OK, now about this poem Stopped Feck Traffic. When I was doing art in college a few years ago, we were asked to provide some personal writing for communication class. I didn’t really have anything, but driving back home, my car broke down and I wrote this wee poem. The word Feck (in the title) is an Irish slang word that is a kind of fill in word that means frustration. I think frustration is the nearest word I can think of, and the word Feck is also used instead of fuck. For example, if you drop something or make a mistake, you could say “FECK” or “FECK IT” or someone bothers you, you can call them a Fecker or tell them to "Feck off". It is not an offensive word, like the fuck word, but is as a milder more humorous version of it. Also the word feck is not used in the sexual way as fuck is used. Not sure if that has clears things up, but that is my interpretation of it. 
I will post my two other poems in a few days.

As before, thank you for reading my blog and please feel free to make a comment.  

New update, after almost 5 years

 New update, after almost 5 years

It’s been literally years since I updated this blog and in fact, I thought I had shut this down after being accused of logging in at work a few years ago and I almost got the sack over it. It’s a bit of a story and I am still a bit peed off about the way I was spoken too.

Where I work is a bit of an odd place, as its all about the business only, and the people who work there, are nothing but numbers. There is no culture of gratitude for a job well done, so consequently there is no pride in the company and literally everyone has a negative opinion about the place. There are no bonuses or incentives, no goals to work to or even feedback, unless you course you make a mistake or do something wrong. It also means that there is very little communication between people or departments. However, they are now working to change the whole culture of the place, which can only be a good thing for all.

So how did I almost loose my job a few years ago? 

Well, we got a new guy who was, and still is, updating our website and improving our online business, and he is doing a terrific job. One of the first things he did, when he started a few years ago, was to open an internal intranet communication board called SLACK, which is designed to promote communication, teamwork and for me, a culture of belonging and community, where we could all talk to each other or leave posts, comments and suggestions.

We all got an email and we were asked to post photos, stories, jokes or really anything that would just get us talking to each other. I thought this was a fantastic idea and despite being told by more than a few people who have worked here, way longer than me "this is only there to get people in trouble" and I was advised to keep well away from it.

I believe or should I say, I believed, that you should throw yourself into things and give it 100% as I could see what this new forum could bring to everyone in the company. To me, this new SLACK forum, could only ever be a good thing which we could all build on, and we could all start feeling we were part of the company and not just a number.

So, like a fool, I took the bait, hook line and sinker.

 It was a nice sunny day and a lot of people in the office were sneezing with hay fever. So, when it was less busy, I downloaded a funny inoffensive photo from my blog, of Rocky the boxer dog licking his face and nose. (didn’t log in to the blog) I did this as I thought it would be something everyone would chuckle about and bring a positive smile to everyone. Here is the photo below. As you can see, there is nothing offensive about the photo at all.

So, I posted the photo and thought nothing more about it. Until I was called up to the office by one of the managers and my supervisor. I was told I had made a few mistakes (which I did) as it is very easy to add the wrong product or delivery code or even number of products. Now I always would rather know what mistakes I make so I can rectify them and try not to let it happen again also, everyone makes almost the same mistake due to our system and how we work. I got to be honest, three years later, it sometimes still happens, and it happens to, customer service, reps and customers alike.

So that was grand, as I had something to work towards or a goal at least. I would always take these things and work towards a positive. BUT then, the atmosphere changed and the tone turned really serious as my supervisor then said in a not so nice and an accusing way “ OK these are just mistakes, but that's nothing to what you did. The worst thing you have ever done and there can be no excuse for it, you logged into your blog using work computers during working time, which goes totally against company policy”. Honestly, its hard to put into words the way I was spoken to, and it was almost like I was being accused of theft or murder. Imagine  watching cop shows and the crook in the interview room, being accused of a crime, well that is what it was like. I felt highly insulted and shocked, considering that one of the managers used to regularly check the football and sports on the sky news website and almost everyone uses it to check local and national news.

I took a deep breath and looked at the them both, manager and supervisor. As they looked down at me like I was a piece of scum, or a criminal they were going execute. I could almost imagine them both holding a hangman’s rope, with the noose, ready to go around my neck, to be strung up, tried and sentenced for execution.

So how come I am still here, two or three years later?  It was obvious from the way I was talked too; I was going to be sacked, as I was told, it was the worst thing I have ever done. 

What did I do? What did I say? How did I get a stay of execution?

 This is what I did.

I started to laugh, I looked at them both and started to laugh. I said, “just give me a minute, I just don’t want to laugh too much” Of course I was being sarcastic, but I was also being humorous. (I feel sarcasm can be very insulting, but bringing some humor into it, kind of neutralized the situation). I said to them both, “just give me a minute”. I took another breath and told them the truth, 100% the truth.

I said “first of all, I did not log into my blog” which I didn’t. I said  “what I did do however, in the interest of participation, in the spirit of sharing and also doing as we were all asked to do. I downloaded a funny photo that would hopefully cheer people up, create a buzz and attempt to foster a good atmosphere that we can all work in. It was a gesture of openness that would hopefully make a positive impact, as small as it may be”  

At this, both of them looked at each other in what I thought at the time was, shock and also relief. And at that. almost as if someone had turned off a switch, the grim atmosphere dissipated to nothing.

OK, it is true that I am still a little peed off about how I was spoken too, but I can, too a degree understand that they must off thought I was just surfing the web, instead of doing my work. Yes, it is true that I felt and still feel insulted that they did not trust my character, but at the same time, my inbound calls and sales were way lower than anyone else on the floor. I later found out a good while after, my outbound calls, of which I was the only one doing outbound calls at the time, were never taken into any consideration. Talking to my supervisor a year after that, I got the impression she wasn’t aware I was doing so many outbound calls and had no idea how much time they took. I used to have a long list of needles outbound calls, that were a complete waist, and it was only when I said this to one of the managers, did the manager say to me that they had already discussed this and I can start cutting the calls to customers who do not buy. In fairness, they could have just said this too me and it would have saved so much time doing unnecessary calls. See, that’s a prime example of the lack of communication within the company.

Apart from the way I was talked to by my supervisor, and also the lack of trust, the thing that really peed me off more than anything else, and to a degree still does, is the fact that my colleagues warned me not to go near this new Slack forum, as it is only going to be used to get people in trouble. How right they were. 

Hopefully things have changed in my job, and it seems that they are now trying to create a better culture in the place, and make it a better, more fulfilling and maybe rewarding job for everyone. 
I am very lucky as I really do like the customers and my work colleagues, but to be honest. this is the only thing that keeps me there. These two things are really the only positives in the place, but maybe, just maybe, that will change in the near future.

Enough ranting about work, the reason I am updating this blog now is because a few weeks ago I was doing a google search on Viking shields (I am making a new shield and I am looking for some design ideas ) Anyway, when doing a google image search, I kept finding images of my shields and when I clicked on one of the images, it brought me to my old blog. So, when I logged back in, I checked the stats and could see that I get quite a lot of traffic every day, and from all over the world. It turns out that people use my blog as reference for building Viking shields. I had no idea that there are so many people building shields, and no idea they were using my blog to do so.

So, I think it may be time to bring my blog back to life again.

If you followed my blog in the past, you will know it was something I used as a coping mechanism when unemployed.  I had time to do the odd art project, which was great, but not having a job, sucks the life out of you.

Since being back at work (almost 5 years now) I haven’t done very many art projects and no painting or drawing., but I do hope to change that.

I did however make a Viking inspired chest, so I will get my photos together and post them in the next few weeks.

Also, I will be posting a few more poems that I wrote a few years ago.

So, till next time, thank you for reading my blog and please leave a comment if you wish.