John Winston Lennon: Gone But Not Forgotten

Dear John, 

You were a rebel from the beginning and could not have been any other way. You got your survival instincts from your grandparents, who were from County Down, Ireland.

After you were born, during the Second World War in Liverpool England, you lived with your Mother, Julia. Irishman Alfred Lennon, your father, was a merchant seaman and was away at sea when you were born. He sent money every month for you and your Mother, but the checks stopped when he went absent without leave in 1944. When he came home six months later, he offered to look after the family, but your Mother rejected the idea.  

When your Aunt Mimi complained to Liverpool's Social Services, your Mother handed you over to her. In July 1946 your father visited your aunt and took you on a day trip to Blackpool, secretly intending to emigrate to New Zealand. Your Mother followed and after a heated argument your father forced you to choose between them. You twice chose your father, but as your Mother walked away, you began to cry and followed her. It would be 20 years before you had contact with your father again. I believe that was the defining event in your life and set you on the road. 

You were outspoken and always stood up for the underdog. You supported the Irish struggle for equality and wearing disguise, went to Ireland to take part in Civil Rights Marches. You will always be the classic Working Class Hero, John. We go every year to the Strawberry Field in New York’s Central Park. There, we gather around the Imagine circle and remember you.

We still love and miss you John. 

Thank you for all of the joy and inspiration. 

The Walrus 

From Liverpool he sallied forth with a soul both free and mystified.

The wide world now to see the worth of raw sounds from the Merseyside.

Young and brash with a poet's eye from the heart the words soon burst.

Penny Lane and The Walrus am I, Imagine the place where love comes first.

 

Hamburg town in the heat of night honed the skills for future sound.

Cavern dark, full of magic sight, one full hot set, for one full pound.

The sergeant smiled his cheeky grin, Eleanor never bride fulfilled.

Get back from the land of Lenin, Strawberry Fields, then love fulfilled.

 

From Tokyo a girl so fine, Yes! Was her word when two hearts meet.

Plastic Ono, New York in true rhyme, soon the word was out on the street.

To Belfast town and its cruel plight dressed in garb that hid his might

He came to march for their civil rights, then slipped away in the Irish night.

 

A primal scream from deep within white suit gave Peace a Chance.

Mind Games were the biggest sin power to the People the only stance.

But a Jealous Guy at the park did lay came all the way from Pele’s ground.

John is gone, now we all must pray, the Dakota still echoes with the sound.

 

‘Mother you had me, but I never had you.’

Books for Sale:

Don’t Die with Regrets: Ireland and the Lessons my Father Taught Me.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0615975860 

The Journey: A Nomad Reflects.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692500944/ref=rdr_ext_tmb

Views: 1145

Tags: Composers, Ireland, Irish in Britain, John Lennon, Rock 'n' Roll, Songwriters, legend, music

Comment by Colm Herron on December 9, 2016 at 10:10am

Pure gold John. Thank you.

Comment by John Anthony Brennan on December 9, 2016 at 4:09pm

Good man Colm. Thanks.

Comment by Richard R. Mc Gibbon Jr. on December 11, 2016 at 8:29am

Jakkers,... if we could just Imagine !   Slainte

Comment by John Anthony Brennan on December 11, 2016 at 4:23pm

Imagination is indeed a powerful force  Richard.

Comment by Richard R. Mc Gibbon Jr. on December 11, 2016 at 7:31pm

John, so was his song "Imagine",... so sing a song and see who joins in the chorus ;-)   Slainte

Comment by John Anthony Brennan on December 11, 2016 at 7:45pm

O ye of little faith....

Comment by Richard R. Mc Gibbon Jr. on December 12, 2016 at 9:30am

My faith is just fine, but my humor sometimes goes un-noticed.  Slaitne

Comment by John Anthony Brennan on December 12, 2016 at 3:34pm

LOL Your humor is just fine.

Comment by Richard R. Mc Gibbon Jr. on December 12, 2016 at 3:48pm

I think I'll stick to my singing as me wife has told me, on numerous occasions, that my brand of humor is a wee bit oblique. It might come from all my years of fighting ( I also teach karate)  or from my teaching at our high school, teen agers have been known to drive one off beam sort of speak. Slainte

Comment by John Anthony Brennan on December 12, 2016 at 4:09pm

The only singer in our house was a sewing machine......

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