Journey
By Niall Higgins

As I sat alone in the woods one day
I began to think and I began to say….
And stopped
I wondered if there was a link
Between the fact that no one listens
And the way that I try not to think
About the path that I should take
And the difficulties in the wake
Of the silence that has lasted for years
I thought if I could only find
Some people who might know enough
To open my mind
To make the first steps here less rough
I could gain the knowledge
And then maybe join a college
Of my free thinking optimistic peers

As this I thought and it felt fine
I stood, wandered, saw a sign
“this way”
I was humming as I walked along
And on the gentle warming breeze
I heard a voice sing loud a song
“This opportunity I must seize”
for a song like this I have not heard
the voice is nice, I won’t be scared
and I should be on my way then pretty soon.
He was sitting there all alone
Reminded me of someone…yes!
Sitting on a log just like my own
A bit different he but none the less
We spoke, shook hands, made friends
And the comforting ease that lends
Meant I could speak of home and he taught me a new tune

I wandered then out to a field
And saw a man who had a shield
Emblazoned with a dove
Emboldened by my new found friend
I walked right up and shook his hand
“What message do you hope to send
sir, out here in this strangest land,
because if it’s good and not absurd
dear fellow I will spread the word
here as I think and learn and grow and travel?
“The message simply sir is this
the books that people here have read
one thing that they tend to miss
history weighs the present down like lead…
I smiled and he gave me then a feather
And as I walked on through the heather
the seeming tangled web was starting to unravel

I came then to a field of oates
And saw people all wearing different coats
They smiled and waved
I was bemused, enthralled, as I approached
It was good as it would seem
The people there were being coached
So that they might work together as a team
They said “welcome to prosperity pass,
We’re glad you’ve joined us here at last
You already know how to achieve and we can
Help you on your way.”
Thank you I said to the wonderful people
Now we can move on to help some others
We are the church, freedom the bell,
Hope the steeple for the sons,
The daughters, the fathers, the mothers
Our past sins we ourselves absolve
With hope, optimism, opportunity, determination and resolve
And tomorrow will dawn the most beautiful day.

As I Walk
By Christopher Govan

As you walk alone to hell I will take you home
I will be right behind to catch you if you fall
You will see the darkness
I will be your light
I will stop the fear
I be your hope
In the fields of victory in the fields of loss
I will lift you up on my knees
In the fields of victory in the fields of glory
Where your hearth and soul are backed up against the wall
No matter of the danger I will be there
I will walk the line of fire to take you out
I am your helping hand
I will lift you up on my backs
I will lift you to your feet
I will never ask why
No matter where the fire I will find a way
I will walk through the fire and crawl along the weakened floor
I am a messenger of mercer I am a helping hand
My helping hand will pick you up when you fall
When you are far away from roads I will find a way
When the path is hard to walk I will find away to get there and take you home
I will hold the light to scare away the darkness
With a clutch of wills about me
With nerves to pull and pull
I walk the line and hold my head up high
I run in when you run out
I stay in the shadows until I hear you call
I am always ready
I am always on my way
No parade of thanks no cheers of joy I do my job to see you home
That all I need to know

Springboard
By Alison Franklin
& Eoin O’Callaghan

Springboard is the place to be
You don’t need to pay a fee
Feeling lost? Need some Direction?
Take time out for some self-reflection

Adventures and challenges will lie ahead
It’s better than lying in your bed
Don’t waste your time and life away
Get up, go out and seize the day

Want to travel and develop your talents
Sort your head out and find some balance
Change your ways, open your mind
Search within you can only find

Know what you want, but don’t believe
Lacking confidence, think you won’t succeed
But take control and change your state
Self belief will determine your fate

Come find the path you want to chase
Conquer your fears and set your pace
Fly alone, don’t be frightened
Soon horizons will begin to widen

So take a chance, dare to be different
Make those dreams come true
Don’t give up, keep believing
Your futures up to you.

NO Choice
by Thomas McMullan

So here I am looking at a rope.
I know if I turn back I have no hope.
No one to care for.

The problems I have I just can’t bear.
To messed in my head I just can’t share.
Things in my life I don’t understand.
So now I’m here taking my last stand.
No choice.

How do I get out of this place?
These feelings I get I just can’t face.
Its getting tighter the lights begin to fade.
Soon I’ll be on the bottom end of a spade.
I’m done.

So now gone I didn’t say goodbye.
People I know will they even cry.
Who knows?
Did I have a choice they were too late.
Now to say goodbye they’ll just have to wait.
What a waste.

Don't give Up!
Your Dreams May Be Closer
Than You Think!
by Vicki Silvers

There may be times when you feel
as if you have taken a million steps towards
your dreams, and acted on your plans, only to find
yourself in the same place that you began from.
At times like this, you must not give up.
You must continue on. Though you may feel
lost, bewildered, and alone, continue to believe
in yourself. Do not allow discouragement and
doubt to blur your vision and wash away
your dreams. Visualize your way beyond the
detours, standstills, and obstacles.
You will realize your dreams. You have
worked hard and taken so many productive
steps in a positive direction that you are bound
to succeed. Whatever the hurt of the moment
may be, it will pass. Tomorrow is always a
new dawn. Today, you must pause, rest, catch
your breath, and then look ahead. Each step
will bring you closer to your dreams. The
rainbows and the love that you deserve are in
sight. Happiness is just around the next turn.

Everybody the same
By Denis McGreevy

From eyes above
To sky’s below
Everything and everybody you know
Fluttering around in your heart just the same

Do you know my name?
Do you know everybody the same?

No matter how different we can be
Can you see the difference in me?
No matter how much the same as me
Can you see the difference between?
Can you see the same as everybody?
Or is everybody the same

Do you notice what sets people apart?
Or do you look for things that make people the same
What people hide
Or what people share
Do you care to look between?

Social Parasite
By Denis McGreevy

On the rampage again
Drunk and off your head
And you say
We don’t like the drugs
We don’t like the alcohol
Well so what
And you get the car
And never see there’s a choice

Won’t you tell me?
Who’s the world to say?
Whether it’s wrong or right
If you love me would you call me?
A social parasite?

Could you love a social parasite?
Would you teach them wrong from right?
It’s easy to escape in that hole
And you’re the ones casting the roles.