Joe Dolce: Shooting Beryl and Song of Nestor

Shooting Beryl

Women had been banned

from the Australian Rifle Club

since 1936. Undaunted,

Beryl Drynan Rogers,

née Quinn, born 1915, 

sights down the buckhorn sight

of her pre-World War I Winchester

Model 94 carbine, special lever-action

repeating rifle, the first

to use a smokeless powder round

(the Winchester Center Fire).

 

After the Depression, short on funds,

Army Defence discouraged women shooters—

a waste of ammunition on non-combatants for practice,

but many riflemen protested—women sharpshooters

were part of Australia’s second line of defence—

in any invasion, they would play a key role,

no less important than men.

Shooting Beryl passed away, in 1950, age 35.

 

 

Song of Nestor

In the time of strife and sorrow,

in Salonika, lived Nestor—

student of Saint Demetrios,

the Myrrh-Streamer—with purest love

for Christ, his faithful Ancestor,

 

between the burning time of Rome,

by Nero, and the Edict of

Milan, where Christians found safe home,

under kind Constantine the Great,

Caesar was Christ’s enemy—hate,

 

murder and persecution fell,

from Maximianus’s hand,

on those who would testify, tell,

of the Sovereignty of Christ

over Caesar’s privileged command,

 

and though Roman syncretism,

for most pagan beliefs, sufficed,

there could be no criticism,

or disloyalty to the State,

or One God before Caesar’s gate.

 

This Emperor persecuted

Christians, in blood-thirsted games,

on a custom stage, reputed

to be built on pillars, with spears

points upward, in bordering frames,

 

to pierce the bodies of the slaves,

thrown to their deaths, amidst loud cheers,

by Caesar’s favourite depraved

Vandal, the strong-boned and ruthless

goliath, known as Lyaeus.

 

Each afternoon, Lyaeus slew,

for the amusement of the crowd,

Christians; by wrestling, threw

them onto the forest of spears,

to writhe and suffer, prayers aloud

 

for the Saviour to break their Chain,

beseeching our Lord Christ to hear,

and grant Heaven’s Cloud, free from pain.

Nestor, seeing this, and heart-torn,

challenged Lyaeus to come forth,

 

but first sought St Demetrios—

condemned to perish in prison—

for blessings; a Sign of the Cross.

The sage prophesied to Nestor,

in a weak and whispered voice, “Son,

 

you will overcome Lyaeus,

but, for our Christ, you must suffer.”

Fortified by God, and armed, thus,

he went to meet the giant’s rage

in battle, on the killing stage.

 

Maximianus, in pity,

offered Nestor reprieve from death:

“Your youthful dare and fantasy,

is admired, your courage, whim,

that you might win, acquire wealth—

 

but I would dissuade you with gifts.

My Lyaeus—do not fight him!

You won’t prevail, I urge: desist

from your challenge, sheath sword and knife,

take my gifts: keep your youthful life.”

 

Nestor heard these things but feared not

the strength of Lyaeus and spoke:

“I am not here to fight for naught;

neither for gain, nor for my pride,

but to make your cruel beast choke

 

on his own blood; to defeat him,

in the name of Christians who died—

to bring God’s Judgment for his sin.”

In anger, the Emperor rose:

“Then let us end this idle boast!”

 

Nestor crossed himself: “Lord help me.

Demetrios, give me courage!”

Striking Lyaeus, at his knee,

the goliath fell to the floor,

and, with God’s strength, he choked the Scourge,

 

wrestling him onto the spears,

where the heavy giant was gored.

Discovering death held him near,

the people shouted, in loud throes,

“Great, the God of Demetrios!”

 

But Maximianus, well-shamed

before the throng, and in sorrow

for his lost Champion, now blamed

Nestor, ordered him beheaded

by his own sword—a single blow.

 

So met our Lord a brave pilgrim,

beside Demetrios wedded

in death, reborn in Christ’s Kingdom.

Released, by God’s good Grace, from strife,

St Nestor quit this earthly life.

Joe Dolce