GERRY SWEENEY'S MAMMY

Mrs. Sweeney
was Gerry Sweeney's mammy.

And even though I had my own
I had her on loan.

It was like having a spare
mammy.

And even when she was mad
with us

she just couldn't be mad
with us.

"Go on..." she'd grin "....go on!"

"Ya'd wear the heart out of a stone!"

And if ya fell and
ya were cryin'

your heart and knee
badly grazed

or badly bitten by a bee
she....

would hug you up
with all of her self

"Ahhh come here to me ya
poor little dote!"

Wrap you up in
so much love

it would last
for years.

For years.

Gerry Sweeney was my best
friend ever

way back in the way-back-then:
still is....nothing's changed

except us young fellas
have become auld fellas

who still think
they're young fellas.

And every time I see him
I could almost cry.

I can still see his mammy
smiling out of his eyes.