Chance Encounters
A walk through Esker
Michéal KIlgannon
Took a trip with no design
Something just to fill my time
Gravitated towards the East
Searching for an inner peace
Turned for Esker more by chance
Following my radars dance
Parked the car, walked a path
One I had yet to map
Monastic escape, solace and space
Sun beaming down, quiet, no sounds
Sat on a wall by a tree, presently
Heard footsteps approaching closer to me
Looked around to see a face Familiar to me, some call your Grace
A local Bishop on a lunchtime stroll
Greeted each other, surprised both souls
On seeing my crutch, he enquired, I spoke up
Empathised with that plight, knows a colleague with like
We sat down by the tree then conversed in low key
On a fine day in May if the wall talked might say
He asked of my people and the health they were in
Then we spoke of old times when the parish had men
Who toiled for their Saviour and built churches galore
Where remnants are scattered in the graveyards before
Local Saints, tales of Patrick, in lore handed down
Consecration of Bishops deemed unworthy we found
Still the start words were all concerning health and of life
Things like what I was doing and of future insights
Towards the end talked of Daniel O Connell’s younger days
When he wrote to a local house from Chancery Lane
Mentioned Raftery the poet, around for a time
In the place we discussed, calling out to these kinds
When parting, prior to going on to finish his walk
He foretold of the prayers for me he’d keep in his thoughts
I bade him farewell and I thanked him for same
Soon returned to my solace and escape from life’s game
The keeper of St Brendan’s See
Wandered down that path like me
Chance encounters, new thoughts shod
Maybe all arranged by God
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