Mary Bridget Sellen

London, UK

I was born in Banagher County Offaly in Southern Ireland, on the 15-5-47. I am a writer and a martial arts instructor. I teach tae-kwon-do, the Korean martial art of self-defence. I have 3 children, Shirley Elizabeth, Christopher Robert and Edward Mark. I also have two grandchildren, Jayde and Joe. I have been married to my husband Reg for 32 years. I was educated in St. Gregories Catholic School in Kent. I belong to the International Society of Poets. My poetry comes from love of life and I believe if you have a voice you should use it.

Black Belt

I fell in love
Right from the start.
With tae kwon do
The martial art.

It's grace and beauty
Gave to me, in a male
Dominated sport, Equality.

I trained so hard
And did my best.
For to get the black belt
Was my quest.

But all that now is history
For the prestigious black
Belt - is mine you see.

Park Bench

What is it about us
That makes us so strong
When life is so sad
And things start to go wrong

We have to be strong
If we are to survive
And sometimes it feels good
Just being alive.

Now home is the park bench
Where I lay my head
The squirrels and pigeons
Surrounding my bed

I am happy and carefree
With problems no more
The best thing that I ever
Done was to walk out of
The door.

And when I am sad and lonely
And I wonder through my past
It is then that I realise
That nothing ever lasts.

Silent Tears

On to every cheek
A tear must drop,
And I ask myself,
When will all
This killing stop.

If we could learn
A lesson from the pain
Caused in Dunblane,
Then all the young
Lives lost there
Would not be in vain,

And silent tears,
In memories forever
Will remain.