Time of The Memory Man


In memory of Joseph Michael Mahony 1929-2005

Written and given to Joe in 2001 after finding we shared a common birthplace at The Airlie Hospital, Darebin Creek, Ivanhoe, Victoria


Joseph Mahony: man of the faithful
with lady magnificat,
Loving history and lineage,
- in that knowing kings!
Recites the names, dates, as if purring
thanks like a cat,
For once upon all times where
a noble heart sings.

Tell us truths and of justice, Joe,
for the good and no less,
Tell us of pain and of losses,
that ought to be grieved;
But give us pause for mercy, -
turn their ‘no’ into ‘yes’,
Tell us, fighting, of great battles fought
for a world that believed.

A world rejected you as mad, Joe
Tsskd you bad as an alcoholic;
In a crazy sin you lived, that you knew
Being of courage they denied;
Knowing a memorable belief makes us
Truly Christ’s and broad catholic
With a quixotic truth you clutched to,
Though a whole world lied

Never let us forget the soul-warriors,
the women of courage,
Don’t let us forget Christ's martyrs,
the men of high degree;
Never let us forget the zeitgeist
imprisoning our age,
Don’t ever let us forget
how we get spiritually free.

Tell us of champions, Joe, list Popes, Kings
and Melbourne Cup winners,
Tell us the human toll in all times,
in prayers of the faithful;
Be our reminder, give benchmarks of saints
and changeable sinners,
Keep litany of memory
till we rejoice to the full.

Praising Cat, like the poet, Chris Smart,
with his cat ‘Jeoffry’
Penning your fellow-souls into glory,
- inconsiderably odd;
Enlight! to the good conversation found,
in a world most unconversant…
Shuffling, shambolic, in the risk-balance
of the Living God.

"Never be surprised by Death."
you said - like my grandfather!
You knew old truths that our world
Fears, and makes taboo;
Righteous men perish, and few
give a damn. Being rather
To keen not to give one's mortality
the thought you had come to.

Lets charge that ghost cavalcade
off its oppression-beast,
Let’s charge the glasses, Joe,
let’s drink the glad wine;
Cheers to Christ’s miracle!
our well-vintaged Cana feast!
Cheers to that final release
from the shackles of time!


25 April 2001 © Wayne David Knoll

Corpus Christi Community, Greenvale,