An Cail�n Bocht Marbh / The Poor Dead Girl

An Cailín Bocht Marbh   Áileann a bhí a h-aghaidh, Agus dathúil soiléir a bhí a tón, Bhí airgead go leor ina póca, Agus cóicéain suas a srón. D’fhéach daoine uirthi, Cailín óg d’fhiche bliain d’aois, Bhí a pictiúr sna nuachtáin, Agus ar an teilifís Bhí soal breá ós a cóir, Bhí gach rud ceart go leor, Agus nuair a fuair sí bás, Bhí an caoineadh di, mór. Cúpla lá roimhe, I bPort Láirge, Bhí cúpla fir óga, Ag cóisir le cairde, Ag damhsa le ceol chun na cailíní a phógadh, Thógadar cóicéain an oíche sin, Agus d’fhéach an domhan síos orthu, Toisc gur tháinig na buachaillí as áiteanna bochta, Dúirt daoine fuatha, “ochón, ochón.” B’fhéidir ar maidin a breithlá, Nuair a chonaic sí na buachaillí marbha, Anois iad fíorbhocht, Dúirt sí léi féin ansin, “Ní thógfaidh mé cóicéan anocht” Agus nuair a thit sí an urláir, Agus tinneas mór inti, An ndúirt sí lena cairde, “Ná tóg drugaí?” Agus nuair a fhéachann sí síos inniú, Ar na daoine ag breathnú uirthi ar an teilifís, B’fhéidir ní thógadh sí drugaí, Dá mbeadh an seans aici arís.

The Kathy French Story   Kathy French was an Irish model and local celebrety and died of a cocaine overdose in December last year, to a Dianaesque outporing of grief in the media.   It was a mere two or three weeks after two young men from a working class estate in Waterford died of the same causes, to no great hoo-haw from the media, showing the hypocracy of the reporting TV and newspapers.   While I myself had no great sympathy for the young men, though I of course do for their families - I feel the same about Kathy French - she brought it on herself, and did not warrant the hysterical reaction in the press.   -- o O O --   The Poor Dead Girl   Beautiful was her face And beautiful indeed her a*s Lots of money in her pocket And cocaine up her nose The people looked at her Young girl of twenty years The pictures in the paper And on the television She was the girl who had it made She was all right And when she died The crying for her was great. A couple of days before In Waterford, a couple of young men At a house party with friends Dancing to music, kissing girls They ate cocaine that night And the world looked down its nose at them For they were working class, those boys And poor, so few said of them alas alas. Maybe, on the morning of her birthday When she saw the poor dead boys She said to herself alone “I wont do cocaine tonight” And when she hit the floor When great was her illness Did she say to her friends “Don’t do drugs!”? And when she looks down now At the people looking at her picture on the television Maybe shed not do the drugs If the had the chance in her hand again?

Reviews

[Helen Crutchett]

The press has a lot to answer for....sometimes they are like crows, picking at people's lives. Nothing is sacred anymore.

And it seems the trend to put "wanna be's, if they could be's" on a great big pedestal, if they are young, blond and sexy. Doesn't matter at all if they are drugged out of their brain, after all it makes 'great press'.

Weird world we live in!

[Anna a. S.M.]

"And when she looks down now
At the people looking at her picture on the television
Maybe shed not do the drugs
If the had the chance in her hand again?"

Wow this is really good.

[Maria F. Rojas]

Aw, it saddens me. I like how you set them in two different languages. Impressive and well written!

[Blackbirdsong]

I like what you have here but it reads like a repetition of what you have before. I'd take that out and just the poem since it shows the same story of the two men and the young woman and how the media picks and chooses who to cover by who is the prettiest or most famous. Some good points here about hypocrisy in the press. Now you need to write that poem about the Irish legend you mentioned in my review :)

[O!]

Very nice of u to write this for her. Also for showing us what the media shouldve!

Lovely how uve done it in 2 languages and the report as well which uve put up emphasizes what uve written.

x,
O!

[Gandré]

I don t think that one is a victim of his/her own stupidity. People who do drugs.. are not stupid. They just try to balance themselves, to balance their inner life. They didn't receive enough love, not a real love by their parents...Too much love is not real love I wanna say... and giving money istead time is also not the true love...People who live and are raised by balanced parents and loving environment in loving families...are strong enough perhaps to try a drug one, two blah blah times, but not to be an addict and would not use it often, that s what I believe.. Also, it is difficult to become a celebrity and ... to hold this status. Those people have an immense pressure... it is about...having not enough inner strength to find another solution.. or ... another relax.
and those poor people in the world, doing drugs have the same reason.. only the aims are different. great writing, indeed.
I never would place any judgement. I hope, I won't. Slap me, if so.

[Silent Kim aka mizmetap..]

The media always take on sensational stories and play it to the hilt. This girl an entertainer, got caught up in the fame and the life that came with it. Yest it's her own fault for not knowing her limits, or the dangers.

Your poem express very well and well written.

They ate cocaine that night in this line you say they ate cocaine, I've never heard that before, usually it is sniffed or smoked.

nice work.