THE QUINTESSENTIAL AUSTRALIAN

Maureen Clifford © The Scribbly Bark Poet 

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.

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