THE QUINTESSENTIAL AUSTRALIAN

[Maureen K Clifford]

THE QUINTESSENTIAL AUSTRALIAN
Maureen Clifford © The Scribbly Bark Poet ..2011

He wore a black Akubra jammed down hard on his head,
and left big boot tracks in the dust and wore a flanno – red.
His face was tanned and rugged; his eyes were brown and mellow
'twas obvious he'd Asian blood, for his skin tone was yellow.

We sat a while and rolled a smoke, the billy on the coals
came to the boil, he threw tea in and this story he told.
He said he came from Vietnam. Came here in seventy four
to seek peace for the family. Far far away from war.
He'd very little family now; he'd lost his Mum and Dad.
Two sisters died whilst on the boat...yes it was pretty sad.

His mum it seemed had coloured blood, Americans at war
were oft involved with local girls before they left those shores.
And seems his dad was English born, but back before they fled,
his Dad got sick from too much booze and he alas was dead.
I looked this young bloke in the eye and said to him “Well mate
it seems you're now an Aussie, how did you integrate?
Was it hard to fit in, did you at times feel ostracized
or did you just get on with it and give it your best try?”

He said his English wasn't good when to our shores he came
and some folks wouldn't talk to him they couldn't say his name.
They thought the food he ate was strange, though these days no one did
and since he'd been here he had wed and now he had two kids.

His lady was a local lass, taught at the local school
They'd saved and bought a property not too far from Thangool.
Her Mum was Aboriginal and her father a Scot.
His own two kids were Aussies. Yes he loved this place a lot.
He thought that he was lucky, for at least he was employed.
and working on a property was work that he enjoyed.

His name was Thamn he told me but he was known as Tom.
He stood and offered me his hand. It was time to move on.
I thanked him for the chance to yarn, and thanked him for the brew
and wished him well in all he did, and then I too shot through.
But as I traveled down the track a thought occurred to me.
That here's two Aussies who are both as different as can be.
And that I think is just the thing that now defines this nation
For people of the world now blend and make the new Australian.

[Neville Briggs]

Well there you go Maureen.

[alongtimegone]

Hi Maureen ... I liked that. You don't have to be born here to be true Aussie ... well, that used to be the case. I'm not so sure any more.
Wazza

[Maureen K Clifford]

You're right Wazza - you don't - I wasn't and I am a very proud Aussie and love this country dearly

[Terry]

Hi Maureen, good poem.

Yes most fit in ok, pity about the few who don't.

Terry

[Bob Pacey]

tank ewe berry much Mausie san.

Bob

[Maureen K Clifford]

Thank you Terry - Thank you Bob - me lub you big time

[Heather]

We are a mixed bag aren't we Maureen? I enjoyed the story.

This reminded me very much of a school friend I had - Tina - Tuyen was her Vietnamese name. Her brother was Tam and sister Quan - Wendy. Tina's mother, Tuyet, married an Australian soldier. They got married and came to Australia not being able to speak each other's language. It was three years before Tuyet was able to tell Steve the three kids were hers and not her siblings as he thought. He then brought them to Australia. I was given the task of teaching Tina English at school - which suited me just fine as I got out of drama classes (and any other class with an idiot teacher!) to go and teach Tina English. Seems unreal that that happened now. I used to be able to count to 10 in Vietnamese once! I was only looking at photos of the two of us yesterday - I was Tina's bridesmaid. Being Vietnamese was a novelty back then.

Heather

[Bob Pacey]

Being Vietnamese was a novelty back then.



You are Vietnamese ?


Well I never ?


Bob

[Catherine Lee]

I enjoyed this poem Maureen, especially as I'm in Vietnam at the moment too. I could do with a few lessons on the language Heather but don't seem to have a gift for languages these days!