She grew up watching the breakers on the sea
she once arm-wrestled the rose of tralee
spit in her palm and sang an old song
and put that beauty down to win the arm wrestling crown

she said goodbye to her family and friends
and to forty shades of green she'd not see again
from the River Shannon to Jamaica Bay
she never looked back or shed a tear along the way

over the ocean and under the stars
only to find herself behind a bar
did she lose everything to wind up here?
fending off drunks and pouring them beer

when she locks up the till and turns off the lights
ties up her skates and she's ready to fight
out on the boards she's no rose of Tralee
she's Bloody Holly and finally free

under the lights with those wheels on her feet
the roar of the crowd sounds like the sea
she spits in her palms and hums that old tune
and just for luck rubs her shamrock tattoo

Posted Wednesday, January 30th 2019