My People

My people were the careful kind
Diligent and honourable
Debts were always paid
Extravagance disdained.

Not long removed from harder times
They kept their expectations low.

Sparing with emotion too:
No child of theirs was ever spoiled
By over lavish praise.
And warier still of those who
Dreamt too long or thought too big.

Now moulded in their careful way
I set about the dreary tasks
That fill my undelivering days
But dream in secret of some other life.

^

Biography

Paul Laughlin is a writer from Derry. His poetry has appeared in Fortnight, Cyphers, still, Aimsir Og and elsewhere. He has also co-edited the anthology A Fistful of Pens.