h'work for w/e 1.11.21 -- IMMIGRANT

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Maureen K Clifford
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h'work for w/e 1.11.21 -- IMMIGRANT

Post by Maureen K Clifford » Tue Oct 19, 2021 4:59 pm

Could doubtless do with some fine tuning - but in the interest of kicking things along it is as first written - I will smooth out the bumps though later on.


IMMIGRANT ... Maureen Clifford © The #ScribblyBarkPoet

She carried in her pockets all her past and history
and little else was left for her to hide
the clothes upon her back, a pair of battered worn out shoes
her bible, rosary and shattered pride
were all she had in truth - a shawl and spare smock made her swag
a few pennies she had squirreled away
She stood and drew a breath - her last deep breath of Irish air
then turned her back and climbed the steel gangway.

She'd said her last confession before leaving for the coast.
In truth she felt 'twas not her that had sinned.
The Irish troubles haunted her, in nightmares and her dreams
and some perhaps would think her too thin skinned.
But she had gathered up her virtue and her innocence
and chosen to leave her home at Kilbride
rather a random rover than a life of servitude
in marriage that outstanding debt had tied.


"Bless me Father" she had said, her thin shawl her face shading
" today I leave my kith and kin behind.
But I won't warm an old man's bed nor be a companion
nor will I have my whole young life consigned
in payment of a debt that was never of my making.
It isn't right I'm sure that you agree."
And from behind the screen she heard a muffled guttural sound
she took as affirmation. So did he.

'Lord Strangford' docked at Dublin - it was 1826.
Destination - the Isle of Hope it seems.
The decks were heavy laden with a host of immigrants
who carried little save their hopes and dreams.
A coffin ship from Ireland - day by day passengers died
the Davy Jones' sea locker their last bed.
Without a way to store them they were all buried at sea
and sharks that followed feasted on the dead.


Conditions were quite terrible, the water stale and foul
whilst vitals were in very short supply
below decks stinking hot, with people crammed close together
relief was felt when someone up and died.
The misery was palpable, and arguments were rife
but all there hoped for better days ahead
At least the weather aided them as they moved with the tide,
staunching their hunger with unleavened bread.


Two square rigged masts above them with full complement of sail
captured the winds and drove the vessel on
three thousand miles from Dublin to the shores of Ellis Isle -
the Isle of Hope or Tears so far from home.
And how this story ended well alas I cannot tell,
its ending has been lost across the years.
But we know the girl had courage, we know that she had dreams
We understand her worries and her fears.


She was just one of many, very many young colleens
departing from those verdant Irish shores
seeking a future better than the one they left behind
just one more soul that history ignores.
She carried in her pockets all her worldly goods on earth
and little else was left for her to hide;
the clothes upon her back, a pair of battered worn out shoes
her bible, rosary and shattered pride.

19.10.21
Check out The Scribbly Bark Poets blog site here -
http://scribblybarkpoetry.blogspot.com.au/


I may not always succeed in making a difference, but I will go to my grave knowing I at least tried.

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Shelley Hansen
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Re: h'work for w/e 1.11.21 -- IMMIGRANT

Post by Shelley Hansen » Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:07 am

Great story Maureen - is it a true one?

Seems these prompts definitely lend themselves to immigration and ships - my homework effort is on a similar theme. Watch this space!

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Shelley
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Ron
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Re: h'work for w/e 1.11.21 -- IMMIGRANT

Post by Ron » Wed Oct 20, 2021 3:01 pm

Great yarn Maureen, you have painted excellent word pictures, depicting just how hard it was back in the those days of desperation and hardship. Nicely done.

Cheers
Ron

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Catherine Lee
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Re: h'work for w/e 1.11.21 -- IMMIGRANT

Post by Catherine Lee » Wed Oct 20, 2021 8:49 pm

I agree - a great story, Maureen. I saw this poem on Facebook, which is just as well because then I suddenly realised that I hadn't checked the Forum in a while!... I really enjoyed reading this, and very much like the way in which you have repeated some of the lines in the first stanza in the last, to good effect.

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Maureen K Clifford
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Re: h'work for w/e 1.11.21 -- IMMIGRANT

Post by Maureen K Clifford » Fri Oct 22, 2021 7:47 am

Thanks everyone - delighted the picture came through in my words.

Is it a true story? ... I am sure it would have been for some young Irish lass who sought to better herself. Ellis Island in New York was often referred to as The Isle of Hope as well as The Isle of Tears - for some happy ones and for others doubtless not so happy but such is life. Sadly the reference to 'coffin ships' was very true. The ship Lord Strangford was also a fair dinkum immigrant ship, better than some perhaps - a two masted Brig, which sailed quick and true to her destination but still the conditions for the immigrants were terrible and very many died.
Check out The Scribbly Bark Poets blog site here -
http://scribblybarkpoetry.blogspot.com.au/


I may not always succeed in making a difference, but I will go to my grave knowing I at least tried.

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Shelley Hansen
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Re: h'work for w/e 1.11.21 -- IMMIGRANT

Post by Shelley Hansen » Sat Oct 23, 2021 8:23 am

So many stories about those sea voyages, Maureen. The ship my ancestors sailed to Australia was the "Alardus" - known as "The Fever Ship". It was a cargo vessel, hopelessly overcrowded and understocked with provisions. Typhoid fever was aboard. The captain was an alcoholic and the first mate was terminally ill with TB and didn't survive the voyage.

So many died on that ship. Only the tough survived. Thankfully my great-grandparents were among them!

Cheers
Shelley
Shelley Hansen
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"Look fer yer profits in the 'earts o' friends,
fer 'atin' never paid no dividends."
(CJ Dennis "The Mooch o' Life")

Terry
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Re: h'work for w/e 1.11.21 -- IMMIGRANT

Post by Terry » Mon Oct 25, 2021 5:08 pm

G/day Maureen

I agree with Catherine, that's a great story and well told.
By coincidence I've been reading a book along the same lines,
about the last convicts transported to W.A. They were brutal times.
It makes you wonder why the British people didn't revolt like so many other countries,
and who could have blamed them.

Well as mentioned I better see if I can come up with an idea to write about.

Terry

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