The Road to the Rising

by Alena Healy-Lloyd

The road to the rising
Where stars and dreams are born,
A path of hope become clear
Guiding us from any fear.

Brave souls dream of freedom high.
That common oppressor, they defy,
With the bullets scream and roar.
They defend a land worth fighting for.

Many soldiers endure loss and pain,
Knowing they’d do it all over again.
Soon, the day slowly begins to lag.

They’ll be buried under an Irish flag.

Written as part of Poetry as Commemoration workshops for Transition Years led by Terry McDonagh and Mary Melvin Geoghegan in Castlerea Community School, Roscommon, in  October 2023.