FORGOTTEN FERMANAGH POET by Joe McVeigh

I came across this ‘poem’ in a collection of poems FORGOTTEN BEAUTY – Irish love poetry across the centuries (Gill& Macmillan, 2014)

In the notes at the back it says the poem was written in late nineteenth century, probably by a Fermanagh man -which sounds right enough!!

If anybody out there knows anything more about James Doherty let us know.

I’d Swear for Her by James Doherty

I’d swear for her,

I’d tear for her,

The Lord knows what I’d bear for her;

I’d lie for her,

I’d sigh for her,

I’d drink Lough Erne dry for her;

I’d ‘cuss’ for her,

Do “muss” for her,

I’d kick up a thundering fuss for her;

I’d weep for her,

I’d leap for her,

I’d go without any sleep for her;

I’d fight for her,

I’d bite for her,

I’d walk the streets all night for her;

I’d plead for her,

I’d bleed for her,

I’d go without my “feed” for her;

I’d shoot for her,

I’d boot for her

A rival who’d come to ‘suit’ for her;

I’d kneel for her,

I’d steal for her,

Such is the love I feel for her;

I’d slide for her,

I’d ride for her,

But –hang me if I’d die for her

Or any other woman!