Welcome to Poetry

By William Hayes RMN, BA, FID, FCIM

Introduction

As part of my leisure in life I find, no I found a way of capturing moments by writing them down. I also took pictures but like to express my experiences and observations with the power of poetry.

In order to focus on different things as part of my recuperation in the early 2000’s I felt it only fitting to publish my writings in a book. This is the amended capture as mentioned in Book 1.

Book 2 Poetry, is again free of copyright to use and copy at will.

The poems are in no particular order and are linked again via a Hyper-link to take you there.

Having run a couple of pubs, I guess infact I know I am a social animal. I embrace people and the company they give. Listening to the trials and tribulations of their life and comparing them with mine.

This is where the conversation starts, or where football and rugby is concerned the ‘Banter’. The playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks, the exchange of remarks in a good-humored teasing way. To this day my friends and I play the ‘Banter Tune’ especially at the weekend when the fixtures are played. And just to make it interesting as the lyrics of the Benny Hill song goes ‘we’ll have a shilling on the side’.

On moving to Doncaster I found a new local just around the corner. The Eagle & Child www.eagleandchildauckley.co.uk/, which was run at that time by my good friends Danny and Margaret Byrne.

The pub, owners and customers have changed now obviously, but my memories and thoughts will always be with me and passed to you in the attached poems.

Five o’clock, not the Alan Jackson, Jimmy Buffett song no, it is a poem about a time and place, set in the pub. After a day at work what a better time to moan and groan to others about your day. Five o’clock is a very special time in the day for me, helping me cope with life and enabling me to enjoy human nature at its best.

And or plan the schedule for the weekend sports. Was it an away game or watching locally on a Saturday afternoon?.

If no sport then what about the Farmers And Gardeners Society meeting, if the weather is not nice then it would have to be the Friday Auckley Rugby Touring Society meeting.

If you couldn’t make Five o’clock, no worries you could be late until Six o’clock, a different day though with different friends.

Danny died unexpectedly in 2002, but Margaret carried on running the pub.

‘Tis You’ ‘Tis You’ is about Danny and Margaret. True friends, but Danny departed. He is sadly missed now and when they were both at the helm.

Other writings such as Six o’clock, Farmers And Gardeners and Friday Auckley Rugby Touring Society were inspired by village people and the Eagle & Child.

The people I knew and came to love were very different from one another. I created a magical time in my mind and managed to retain the ability to appreciate the simple things in life.

On many occasions I had to relearn how to give a little happiness to others and be tolerant of other people’s foibles and laugh at my own.

By being themselves, so many people make a difference to other people’s lives; often without knowing it. For that I am most grateful to them all. I feel a touch of human kindness goes a long way, so we should never take it for granted and never take it away.

Asylum the Best. At the time of writing I was the receiver of treatment at The Retreat in York. It was known as a psychiatric hospital, a mental health hospital, a behavioral health hospital, or as an asylum, a specialized medical facility that focuses on the treatment of severe mental disorders.

These institutions cater to patients with conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and eating disorders, among others.

These conditions can only be seen and treated by specialized people in the field that they have been taught and experienced. To people without these skills and experiences, the lack of understanding can be cruel. I have been some would say, unfortunate but I say fortunate to experience from both sides.

I say unfortunate because the pain on the other side, the side I call ‘Dark’ is not a pleasant one. Fortunate because I have been able to help those prior to me going there. A read of the poem is the way to view inside the place for yourself.

The poem is based on my own professional, social and personal experience of caring, sharing and working with those who have suffered mentally. In my experience I have found many societies who fail their most vulnerable, my society has not failed as badly as some and has changed from time to time, but it is still better placed than most to do a lot better.

I believe that a mature society should never rest on its laurels and should be judged on how well it looks after its vulnerable members. In particular, its vulnerable children, its elder members, and those in society who suffer mentally.

A society is only truly mature when the values and principles of Altruism. are seen as a strength and not as a weakness. In a material world unfortunately human weaknesses such as jealously, envy and greed prevail.

Therein perhaps lays a challenge to us all, to recognize and come to terms with our own prejudice, to change ourselves first then maybe influence others to change. I feel that conflicts and prejudice can only be resolved when we first recognize and deal with our own prejudice, then and only then, can we have hope for others.

Our modern world needs more mature and legitimate democratic societies. I believe a new political order as described in An English Dream Book 4 may go a long way to achieving the reform our society desperately needs.

Anniversary Love and Anniversary Years. Still special in my heart, to which I feel young people of today should aspire to achieve, if God willing, life’s road will allow. The poem is about the years of just that and specially written for couples everywhere.

These special people who commit to long-term partnerships can be so important to any society. It is my understanding that by the year 2000, married couples had become the minority in England. Single- parent families, separated and divorced people, and same gender partnerships became the majority groups.

Such is For Life and Anniversary Years and Anniversary Love are for any two who choose to share and celebrate their special relationship on its day. Anniversary Years presents the opportunity to have a different token or present to help celebrate different years.

My Darkness, As mentioned above this poem is about the dark side again a poem to read between the lines. Experience of The Retreat.

Farmers And Gardeners Society, says it all, a reason to have a meeting in a pub to plan what seeds and compost to use? some call it fertilizer.

Jamesie My Cochese, My uncle and a dear friend.

John My Son, November 1981, not a true Yorkshireman but neither am I, but Yorkshire is now our home. This is an ode to my son John.

Kilkenny’s Own Song, Ireland’s fair city my entrance to the world.

Mother A Saint, My mother bless her.

Naomi to Retreat First Impressions, Naomi, meaning “pleasant” or “gentle,” Was this place either? Sometimes a little prior knowledge cannot be a good thing. Another poem to read with a different view or perspective.

Naomi in this instance was one of the people I first met she was pleasant and gentle and understanding.

To those who suffer physical disability and have suffered mentally, I have great empathy and share with you through My Darkness, Asylum the Best, Naoimi to Retreat First impressions, Ode to York Friends,
Oh! Drink Oh! Feck, The Art of a Fart a Social Taboo, Piss this Trivia, The Nurse, Inspiration My Lasting Impression, Sleep and Let Me Be.

The Retreat in York or The York Retreat, England, was a not-for-profit Hospital. I was fortunate to be professionally associated with it and its fine staff for many years and on a personal basis in 2003. Unfortunately it is now closed after 222 years on 31st December 2018. An outpatient practice has been opened not too far away.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Retreat

Peter My Son, The youngest one, but still a special one, just like his brother John.

Paradigm, A mental filter through which we view the world and make meaning of our life experiences. Made up of our core beliefs that influence the decisions we make in every day life from one, of four: Integrity, Achievement, Duty, or Fear

Ode to York Friends, A thank you to the new friends at York. True friends always.

The Old Vicarage, Our house. The Old Vicarage and Our Garden were inspired by my family home in Yorkshire, England. In January 2002 Irene and I saw the Old Vicarage was for sale. It was located at the other end of Main Street in the village of Auckley, in Doncaster. At the time we lived in
number 1 Dursley Court, beside the Eagle & Child. When we first saw the Old Vicarage we fell in love with it straight away.

We bought it from a lovely couple called John and Pauline Olma and moved there in March 2002. We planned to live the rest of our lives together there. Its in the village we loved, it’s near to so many friends and people we loved and cared for.

It provided my family, friends and me, with space tranquility and peace, away from the pressures of life. It’s beautiful to us, it was home.

Our Garden, At the Old Vicarage.

A River’s Enchanted Journey, A poem about the River Nore It could be about any river in the world but this was the first that I had encountered.

Oh! Drink Oh! Feck, Many things can be related to this title.

Post Natal Woman, The inspiration for this was my Niece Gillian. I was in her parents home when | witnessed her suffering greatly after a pregnancy. She like many women was not getting adequate post natal care and was left to cope on her own with family support.

During my career I came across many women coming into contact with mental health services with major psychological problems usually about 2 years post natal with little evidence of any adequate medical care. Hormonal issues were frequently ignored and not either properly investigated or treated.

The Sun, Has got his hat on, hip, hip, hip, hooray.

The Friday Auckley Rugby Touring Society meeting. And What a Beautiful game, I have enjoyed countless great times with family, friends and rugby people the world over.

The local clubs in Barnet, St Albans, Harpenden, Luton, and in particular Doncaster are great places. I hope you have one near you with yet again those two magical ingredients, nice people in a nice place.

The odd shaped rugby ball and an occasional game of rugby were important as well. But vital to most clubs and the game were those dedicated people who worked so hard to create an environment that was healthy and friendly for all ages and creeds.

Love Benny, My dad was a very interesting, intelligent and challenging person. His balance was affected by the loss of toes on one foot so he looked tipsy even without a drink. Mentally he was very disturbed and this was exacerbated by drink.

When well he was great company and worked very hard. He kept a lovely well maintained garden and worked in the the local “Boot Factory” for many years and retired very young on medical grounds after several hospital admissions for chest and other related illnesses. He could see I was not happy at home and encouraged me to take up the Chefs course/and eventually to emigrate to England.

Piss this Trivia, Part of my stay at the Retreat.

The Art of a Fart, a Social Taboo, Part of my stay at the Retreat.

The Nurse, Part of my stay at the Retreat.

‘Tis You ‘Tis You, Part of my stay at the Retreat.

Inspiration My Lasting Impression, Part of my stay at the Retreat.

Let Me Be, Part of my stay at the Retreat.

The Finningleys, A lovely couple Tony and Jane were close friends and Neighbors, who we shared many holidays and social occasions with. They were great fun and good friends who cared and shared with us during some difficult and challenging times.

To a Proud Doncastrian, A place I now call home, and have done for a while. Challenges and fate brought me to this wonderful place.

Anniversary Years, Still special in my heart.

An English Creation, A political satire which needs to be read in conjunction with book 3 & 4.

Academy of Life, Academy of Life is about my life as a young and poor Irish immigrant from the age of seventeen. How I found a career and arguably: grew up. Napsbury, in London Colney, Hertfordshire, and its people influenced my values and beliefs greatly. Dr Tom Farewell.

Who was Dr Tom Farewell ? https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychiatric-bulletin/article/dr-thomas-farewell/6C7C87AE81243C1D5782232D56C9D076#

England became my new home, its people joined my family and friends. This great country’ and its people gave me hope and opportunity. I am very fortunate and most privileged to have served and worked with so many wonderful people. It has been an honor and those memories and experiences I will cherish all my life, and hopefully continue to care and share with others on the way.

Sleep, The best healer in life.

Six O’clock, The same place as Five O’clock just later with different people.

A Fine Pair, A poem about Derek and Rich trades people at there best. Derek Anstock a bricklayer and builder. Richard Marsh a property maintainer. Both did the upgrade works on the Old Vicarage in the early 2000’s.

Dearly Departed Marie, A poem for my big sister, the eldest of the girls.

Doctor, Dr David Goodhead, https://www.healthwatchdoncaster.org.uk/blog/2023-02-21/doncaster-psychiatrist-retires-after-half-century-front-line-care

Fine, Like a fine wine.

Human Animals, People are so cruel

Mother Rotary, About the great work that Rotary International do.

My Car, I have loved to drive for many a year now.

Nobody’s Plot, A poem about a spare piece of land next to the old vicarage.

Not Common No Sense, The Sixth sense that can’t be measured. But sometimes can be seen.

Oh Cold Oh Flu, A poem that was Pre-COVID.

The End, A feeling at the Time.

The Moment, Capture it when it happens.

The Waiting game, When you are waiting for some important results.