A Fabulous Poem

Critically Thinking about the power of Vision and Persistence...

OK, I admit poetry is not my favorite thing. I’ve dabbled in it a few times, but I’m better at shorter stuff — like Haikus.

Anyway, a subscriber sent me his very personal poem — and I LOVED it. I asked for his permission to republish it, and fortunately he said yes. Here it is. FYI, the beginning was when he was in the Australian Army in Vietnam. Remember, that (despite the humor) this is a 100% true story…

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Straight from the Heart

by Alistair Pope, 1^st May 2020

Who would have thought that on a tour of war duty

I would find true love with a dark-eyed beauty.

Vung Tau was a safe and well-protected city

Though our cultures clashed, which was a pity.

Meeting ‘bad girls’ was easy, just pay them a dime

But for a soldier no ‘good girl’ dared give him her time.

As a Scottish-born Digger from a land far away

I went to the Grand Hotel for a drink one day.

The cashier was new, filling in for a week

But her eyes pierced my heart and I could not speak.

I had never believed in love at first sight

Yet against the power of her eyes I could not fight.

Strong and confident, I had been beaten and humbled

One look from her eyes and my resistance had crumbled.

In no more than an instant I made up my mind

Many problems would arise; to them I was not blind,

Because the idea of our marriage would meet official resistance

But I thought nothing can stop me as I am known for persistence.

The first surprise came soon, just the very next day

I asked her to dinner, but she replied: “No way!”

Then she agreed with conditions, against which you would not bet

For Herculean rules of engagement were the problems she set.

To my own surprise I conquered these mountains so great

For I was certain our meeting was not chance, but fate.

When your heart is being driven by a burning desire

For the love of your life you would walk through real fire.

Problems? What problems, for my true love could see none!

To achieve my aim, I would do what it takes; thy will be done.

I would need a vehicle, to drive to a well-hidden place

So my ‘good-girl’ could meet me without losing face.

We dined at a restaurant called La Roche Noir,

Out of bounds for soldiers and out of town quite far.

I thought this was a place that would be less intrusive

Though I soon found out why it was so exclusive.

When the bill came, I could not pay - which was a shame!

You can take what I have, and I’ll give you my name.

I was embarrassed and my reputation was tattered

But time spent with her was all that had mattered.

I did the right thing and went back the next day

With all my money, the final bill to pay.

The rumor was out, some said, what could it mean?

They say he has dated a local girl on whom he is keen!

There are those who say they know what is right,

But I’ll make my own choices for which I will fight.

One told me he believed we were superior;

“You can’t marry ‘one of them” they are inferior!”

There were many who felt that I should think twice,

I listened to them all, then ignored their advice.

Once more I asked her to join me for dinner

Though we both now knew there would be no winner.

Barriers impossible had been placed in our way

No matter what I thought of and tried as I may

All that would be left is what I could remember

As my time in Vietnam would end that December.

Our last supper was poor and my drink tasted sour,

As we knew that together this would be our last hour.

I had a present for her that was a surprise

A beautiful gold ring reflecting in her eyes.

Love is quite futile, when the gods rule it is not to be,

I would leave Vietnam and she would remain far from me.

Me with Maria Wearing the Gold Dress Ring I gave her

I tried to return, volunteering for every position,

As to meet her again was my principal mission.

The Australians withdrew and our war was finished,

Though my memory of her had never diminished.

Time passed and we both moved on with Life,

But women for me brought just trouble and strife.

In Port Moresby, in early ‘75, I read the war news

And worried for Maria as all the expert’s views

Declared the war was lost and nothing could be done

The best plan for those who could was to cut and run.

I thought I would write her one last letter,

Futile, I knew, but trying would make me feel better.

My Letter that was written Straight from the Heart

I had done what I could though I knew it must fail.

I wrote my last letter and popped it into the mail.

Soon after I received a short desperate note,

“I need to leave soon, by plane or by boat”.

Then Saigon fell, the devastation complete,

The war was over in absolute defeat.

Yet no letter arrived, did she die or survive?

I was desperate to know if she was dead or alive.

More time went by and I cursed our lost chance;

Are we puppets of the gods in a macabre dance?

Maybe Venus saw my pain and perhaps repented,

As a letter arrived – it seems the gods had relented.

I asked Maria to join me and I would be her big brother

As we were strangers who never really knew each other.

Can you believe five years had passed since last we met?

Surely a more unusual romance it would be hard to get?

Five years when we heard nothing, no contact in between,

If we were to meet again, it would be a completely new scene.

There was no ‘we’, just ‘you and me’ as for us both it was all new;

I would care for her until we knew what we wanted to do.

She could stay, she could leave; it would be her decision to make,

As a lifelong commitment to a stranger is a big step to take.

I wrote her a letter every single day, a decision I will never regret,

As it touched her heart and gave her hope she would not forget.

She crossed the world once more to another land far away,

One small matter was my fighting with ‘raskols’ just yesterday.

I was in hospital with blood poisoning the day that she came,

Although fevered and ill, I would be there to meet her all the same.

I had waited for five years to savor this moment:

On how it went, (or did not) I would rather not comment …

Goldie River annually held a military Ball, at the Mess,

Where ladies could preen and show off their best dress.

In no more than a week I recovered, got over it all

As I had a deadline to present her as the Belle of the Ball.

This was a great test for a shy Vietnamese lass,

But I never doubted she had star class and would pass.

Maria at her first Army Officer’s Mess function:

Goldie River Officer’s Mess Ball , 16^th August 1975.

South Vietnam, the country where Maria was born,

Her family, her possessions, everything was gone.

She had a short visa that gave her just limited stays.

In PNG that time was six months, or just 180 days.

That was a concern, but for me, not really a worry,

Because she was the One, but I had to woo her in a hurry.

I applied to the Army to marry my love and partner for life,

Colonel Broderick rejected her as unfit to be an Army wife!

After what happened next he should have court-martialed me,

So, Colonel Hall was appointed to meet Maria, assess her and see.

As a Scot and an adult, my seething anger I could not hide:

How dare that someone else should judge who could be my bride!

I accepted their ‘game’ as I had a plan few would ever envisage,

As it required strong moral nerves and much personal courage.

When lunch arrived, I snuffled in my food like a pig in a sty!

Silence reigned, everyone stopped, absolute shock in their eye.

I rose dripping with food and threw my plate on the floor,

Before anyone recovered from this sight, I was out the door.

In a fresh uniform I waited for what seemed like an age,

Colonel Hall arrived back at the barracks in his worst ever rage.

When he asked me “Why!” his mind spinning in a whirl,

I said “You never asked if I was good enough for this girl”!

It burst his balloon even better than I had anticipated,

In an instant he accepted my reply and his anger dissipated.

What should he do about my bad public performance?

He knew what I had done was for love and romance.

He thought long and hard about those left in shock,

His decision was: “Book the Squash Court for 5 ‘o clock.

He was impressed by Maria and gave her the highest rating;

“As for you” he confided “It’s a mistake she is making!”

Losing her once I can accept was due to circumstance,

But this time I resolved we would take our second chance.

On 1^st May ‘76, we were married by Pastor Lloyd Spike:

“You’re a lost cause,” he told me “but Maria my God would like”.

The year ‘75, for Maria, was grim, her life held no hope,

In ’76, we left Koki Market Church as Captain & Mrs Pope.

Lutheran Pastor Lloyd Spike Marries Alistair & Maria Pope

Koki Market Church, Port Moresby, Saturday, 1^st May 1976

Many think we are so different, such an unlikely pair,

But I think that is neither here nor there.

We are always together and bonded as one,

We are friends and lovers and as a team we have fun.

We are there for each other as ours is a lifelong love,

We fit like together like a hand and a glove.

Our story would seem impossible, although the truth is known.

Through the years that have passed our love has still grown.

Katherine was born in ’78, a girl healthy and strong,

Two years later, her sister Christine then came along.

Happy children, always smiling, both just the best,

Always active and busy they gave us no rest.

Army promotions and postings they came and they went.

We cared not, said ‘Yes, Sir!’ and moved to where we were sent.

A half-Colonel at forty, I knew the good times were past,

Next stop was Canberra where I knew I would not last.

Real soldiering is with soldiers and key decisions are with me,

In Canberra the concern is: ‘What biscuits have we with the tea’?

I’ve never regretted discharging, going out on my own,

Though times were often tough, but we learned and we’ve grown

Maria built and owned restaurants called the ‘Saigon Orchids’,

She kept our home, managed businesses and raised the kids.

She succeeded through hard work and brains no matter what,

The credit goes to her for everything we’ve now got.

‘Tis 55-years since first we met, and 50 have passed since we were wed.

When I look back on it all what an unlikely chance, it must be said;

Nobody would believe that this story of ours could possibly be real.

The odds are so improbable, in the extreme yet one would feel,

It proves that true love can overcome any obstacles put in its way.

I loved you then and I love you now on this, our anniversary day.

Portrait of My Dark-Eyed Beauty: Phan Thi Huyen Thu

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