Lots of Miles From Vietnam
While (whilst) going through papers in the office, my wife found a small spiral notebook of mine from 1980-81. Among other things, this notebook included the following undated poem entitled "Finland":


FINLAND
IS
NOT
PORTLAND
IS
NOT
SPOKANE
DID
YOU
SEE
REVOLVING
TOWER
?



I think I understand the origin of every word in that poem. "Finland," for example, was probably influenced by this Michael Palin song from Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album (the album that resulted in a John Denver lawsuit):


Finland
Finland, Finland, Finland,
The country where I want to be,
Pony trekking or camping,
Or just watching TV.
Finland, Finland, Finland.
It's the country for me.
You're so near to Russia,
So far from Japan,
Quite a long way from Cairo,
Lots of miles from Vietnam.

Finland, Finland, Finland,
The country where I want to be,
Eating breakfast or dinner,
Or snack lunch in the hall.
Finland, Finland, Finland.
Finland has it all.

You're so sadly neglected
And often ignored,
A poor second to Belgium,
When going abroad.

Finland, Finland, Finland,
The country where I quite want to be,
Your mountains so lofty,
Your treetops so tall.
Finland, Finland, Finland.
Finland has it all.

All together, Finland fans!
Finland, Finland, Finland,
The country where I quite want to be,
Your mountains so lofty,
Your treetops so tall.
Finland, Finland, Finland.
Finland has it all.

Finland has it all.



When Michael Palin filmed "Pole to Pole," he sang a snatch of this song. I enjoyed it.

P.S. The spiral notebook is autobiographical. In addition to the bad stick figure drawings, it includes an account of the morning when I had a flight out of Portland at 7:10 am - and woke up at 6:45; my surprise at the size of Spokane airport (larger than Bozeman!); a list of all the parties I attended at home over Christmas vacation; a list of January 1981 birthdays (three friends plus Richard Nixon); a poetic account of the time that I spilled a drink on my date (in the revolving tower; people in Arlington Virginia know what I'm talking about; a poetic account of another date, at which I saw the movie "Popeye"; and some additional verses for my song "Punk Tomato."

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