When I was an undergraduate at Sydney University, even though I was a practising Catholic, I thought of the students who lived at St John’s College as almost another species: somehow insulated from the broader university community, with their own strange rituals and vaguely noxious world view. If that was true then, how much more now!
Sonnet 5: St John the Evangelist in Missenden Road
(Apologies to JM)
St John, whom Jesus loved, woke up
in Camperdown, as mad as thunder,
beside a burnt couch. He spoke up
(he’d seen the videos of chunder,
toxic brews and stained glass smashed
by men with his name, unabashed
children of the moneyed classes,
tinkling cymbals, sounding brasses):
‘In the beginning was the Word,
dwelt amongst us, crucified
by turds like you. You’ve mocked and lied,
near killed, you unrepentant herd.
God may forgive. His love is great.
But take my name off your front gate.’
Me fail? I fly! 
Wonderful Jonathan! Libby
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Add Xenophon & Windsor (not the Royal) to the Boanerges clan.
Jon, maybe you can squeeze ‘quibble’ and ‘mute’ into the next sonnet, on behalf of the ruined children.
(When we are a republic, how will we re-name Royal Commission?)
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Bloody beaut, Jonathan!
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You draw all the threads together – with wit and passion – and pointers towards justice! Bravo again, Jonathan!
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Thanks, all.
Trevor: I’m incredibly chuffed that you got the Boanerges reference, but a sonnet on priests and paedophilia is well beyond my meagre abilities.
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I’ve been overseas and not following blogs for two months. What a delight to come back to this! Thanks Jonathan.
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Welcome home, M-H. I’m glad you like it
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