Fracture

by Christopher Young

Division loomed, fracturing the land.
The foundation of democracy strained.
Each stroke upon that page forewarned,
Of upending grief, a nation pained.

Mothers will weep,
Fathers lay their cherished.
As Irish hands,
Grip British steel.
The dreams of a nation left broken.

Reproduced with kind permission of the author. This poem was composed in a Poetry as Commemoration workshops held at The Jackie Clarke Collection, Mayo, with students from St. Murdach’s College, Ballina, in October 2023.  The workshop was led by writer Martin Dyer.