Sonnet for Colman's coming

Within the region of a father’s thoughts

Where fancy has small liberty to grace,

With fingers interwoven, palm in palm,

He lays content and sleeping in such heedless peace.

His dreams that murmur as they run

With hues of genius on his cheek,

He cannot know this world of woe

Where mother frets and smiles at every peek.

The Shannon and the Lee course in his veins

As all men are sons of common rains,

Now in my minds eye I seem to see him pace,

Stronger the scrum now, in ruck of human race.

She felt; he came from her and her from the earth,

Rejoice us; as the sky rejoices at the morning’s birth.

Dedicated to Colman James, son and grandson.