I’m black

I have no issue with that

You’re white

I have no issue with that

You are different

I understand that

I am very different

Not sure who understands that

Most

White Australians do not

To them I am a burden

A Bludger just a blackfella

A bung

An Abo

What I really am is proud

Your white prejudice

Will never allow you to be the same

Beautiful black face tells me all

A Black smile big pearly whites

Glistening

Bright eyes you’ve reached the heights

Oh boy am I listening

Jubilant conversation never ending

White man has recognised you

Dexterous

Clever hands intelligent view

Oh boy so infectious

Big pay days now

Hard work taking you places

Achievement

Lots of friends and smiling faces

Oh boy appeasement

Now they know of your success

Black family loves you too

Brilliant

Role model for black and white

Oh boy future Elder so resilient

Rays of light through clouds
Beg, it is a sign from God’s advisor
A piscatorial nomenclature penned on the waves
Proof Old Joe was a fisherman
My trusted Father
That I cast to thous’t very mark
Lest I never would prosper

It’s a pity that you knew not,
Of my deepest love,
And I am so sorry that you left early,
For that place so far above.

It’s a shame I never said the things,
I felt in my heart,
But aren’t all dads wary of such expression,
That a son about love would impart.

It’s a tragedy that you have gone now,
Unaware of my caring,
And surely I could have thanked you earlier,
For that opportunity we were sharing?

And the sadness in me wells today,
About things I left unsaid,
So from a son to his beloved father,
In Heaven, I hope I am well read.

It’s been a while Old Joe,
Since you packed up and went,
Suddenly from your home,
Undeservedly, heaven sent.

I miss you till this day,
Won’t forget you Joe,
Still not understanding,
Why you had to go.

Hero’s always seem to me,
To be in short supply,
Life became more difficult,
When my hero had to die.

The anniversary of your death,
Never lost with me,
Fabulous times together,
Still I clearly see.

Let this time of remembrance,
Be a clear message of my love,
And say I’ll miss you always,
Until we’re both there up above.

Time stood still the day dad died,
Coldest moment of my life,
First thing that I thought of,
Was mother, poor Old Joe’s wife?

Thought of Old Joe himself,
Prayed he did not suffer,
Knew he faced a challenge,
Doubt there were any tougher.

Wonder why he died alone,
Bet that was his call,
He hated company most of times,
Even at his fall.

Wonder of his last thoughts
As he felt that chronic pain,
A prelude to Old Joe’s demise,
When he never woke again.

As he died he relived his life,
Wanted to love us all the more,
Sadness probably ripped his heart,
That he didn’t say all this before.

Old Joe still looks down on us,
From heaven way above,
I reckon he’d be pretty proud,
Of the kids he’s grown to love.

Now one of us will be first,
To join our dear Old Joe,
I’m a very willing volunteer,
I just loved him so.

Old Joe was short on words,
Did most things with a nod,
Conversations were like gold,
Unless you’re talking Murray Cod.

Fishing ranked up near the birds,
If you wanted him to speak,
Otherwise he’d go all-quiet,
Say nothin! All flamin week.

Old Joe really loved the bush.
Where chat was rather rare,
For bloody conversationalists,
He really didn’t care.

At Lyons Road, Old Joe shone,
Through his aviaries he’d walk,
I’d be absolutely amazed,
If he ever stopped to talk.

Old Joe there on the verandah,
At Kochel’s with Uncle Paul,
The last time I heard him speak?
More than a minute, I recall.

Old Joe got his wish,
The peace of heaven I’ve heard,
I’d gladly join him tomorrow,
Just to hear another word.

The rocky garden border,
In my memory still impedes,
You move a big stone slowly,
And catch the giant centipedes.

There were ants’ worms and slaters,
Under every giant rock,
And every time I moved them,
Old Joe would do his block.

I seemed to forget as a little kid,
If you move it, put it back,
I probably doubled Old Joe’s workload,
Crikey! I was slack.

I always blamed the girls you know,
If Old Joe could smell a rat,
I’d look him straight in the eye,
And say, “I never did that”.

In fact He never got on to me,
For the many rotten things I did,
When Old Joe came hunting,
I buggered off and hid.

A modern day Ned Kelly,
I was terrific on the run,
Old Joe never suspected me,
For the many things I’d done.

In fact I was a mongrel kid,
A thorough little toad,
But take me back anytime,
To Old Joe and Lyons road.

Remember Old Joes Marrows and Vines,
Around timber frames they grew,
And as best I recall some were ten foot tall,
A shadier place I never knew.

The hollowed marrows, Old Joe dried,
Nature’s sun did this the best,
He adorned his fabulous aviaries with them,
And the birds, in them loved to nest.

The lush green grapes also grew,
Atop that rickety old frame,
Built from timber Old Joe recycled,
Again and again and again.

All along the aviary facade,
Old Joe’s marrows and vines hung,
A backdrop to the beautiful gardens,
And testimony to a hero so unsung.

Somewhere in Queensland there lies Old Joe,
A wonderful man reduced to ashes,
And none may understand,
The heart, how it tumbles and crashes.

Calamity and chaos, a man half lived,
And endless life in my book,
The soul of the man must recoil,
Of the chances he never took.

But old man nature has it’s way,
Sometimes fast, sometimes slow,
Lapping the limits of life and death,
And the calling in of dear Old Joe.

For the strength of the man sings within,
A dead man in a wall,
A shocking and plain way to pass,
Burnt, without my permission I recall.

Brothers two, Charles and Paul,
Can they take no part,
Only dead men smiles’ can win,
In my sadly ruptured heart.