Wurlitzer and other Poems

Dominic Hyland was born in Bootle on May 6th 1935, the day of King George V‘s Silver Jubilee and each boy born in Bootle on that day was encouraged to be christened George. Time would see George Hyland become Dominic. From Our Lady of Lourdes Junior School, Birkdale, he won a scholarship to St Mary’s College, Crosby where, at the age of 14, he joined the Christian Brothers (taking the name Dominic), and went away to boarding schools in Cheshire and Gloucestershire. He spent his university days at St John’s College, Cambridge and went on to teach English at a variety of levels for the rest of his working life.Dominic married Nannette in 1961 and they spent most of their married life on the North West coast of England and brought up their four children there. One of the criteria for choice of location was proximity to Liverpool Football Club’s stadium at Anfield. He spent a lot of his leisure time as a young man playing football and has been a life-long supporter of LFC .This present volume of verse reflects different kinds of experiences which have been particularly memorable for Dominic from his youth to present day including places he has been, people he has known, and many things that have brought him delight in life.

• The Wurlitzer; A Marathon Fantasy; Christmas Present; Corona Pop; How Do I Iove You?; In Praise of Christmas Cards; My Hair Prayer; Inkerman Street; New Year Poem (2023); Parting is not Sweet Sorrow; The Joy Of Giving; Dog Growl; Reality Bites; My Calendar Girl; Matinee Idol; Christmas Greetings; You haven’t a leg to stand on; My Valentine; The Highs and Lows of Love; Winter Woolies; Missing Kissing .. . A Poem for Covid Times; Be My Love; Have a Meaningful Christmas; Valentine; She is not fair to outward view; It’s Christmas Again; Trying Trials in Times of Torment; Peace in Our Time; A Christmas Invitation (2003); Feet First; Repent At Leisure; Friendship; L’Amour; I Remember .. .; A Christmas Sceptic; Victory In Europe; Away In A Manger; Christmas; Twenty Twenty Two; Le Mariage; “Come live with me and be my love”; November; Ode To ‘Alifax; Christmas 2018; Rain Stopped Play; Your Valentine; I Love You; When we are old and grey and full of sleep; You Are Lovely; Advice on The Onset of Old Age; Christmas Din Din; Boy Meets Girl; Victorian Values; The End of Friendship; The LFC Victory Parade; When I’m Gone .. . An Obituary Piece