I lived off-base in Okinawa with my first husband from 1967-1968. One night living in a secluded area without a phone or car a young soldier on leave from Vietnam decided to harass me. I was not frightened but it really began to annoy me after some time. This poem is a description of the experience.
A Knock At The Door
Pitch black no one around
silence upon the grounds
after ten, all had gone
a knock at the door.
Across from
McToureous Marine Base
in a compound with no phones,
no car, no English.
It was late that night
For a knock at the door
I went to answer but
there was no one there.
Puzzlement nudged me,
I know that I had heard
the hand of someone knocking.
Then again came the knock.
I opened wide and looked
from side to side
just empty space
no fear just curiosity.
Again came your knock.
I went round the house
beyond the light you stood
why knock and hide I said?
Then understanding came,
I went back inside and locked up tight.
You tossed light pebbles
at the glass that night.
Two hours you tossed.
“Remove your clothes,” you said.
“dance for me.” I am
on leave from Vietnam.
I have not seen a
woman for so long.
“Please dance for me. I want to see.”
I shoved a knife through the window.
“You pervert you,” I said.
Fear crawled up my side.
On the floor my baby cried.
When will someone come?
You kept this up for hours, nothing but
Monsoon shutters between us.
I heard a car, it was
the Sarg next door home early.
My being then relaxed
He called my husband at Torii Station.
You were to flee my midnight friend
I wonder today are you OK?
Did you recover from your delirium?
Did you recover from your wounds?
Did you leave Vietnam? Or did you return
To come home in a wooden box?
© Liz Rice-Sosne
Placed at Poets United Poetry Pantry
wow. scary moment, makes me wonder a bit about the guy, he was probably a bit gone with what he had seen and needed a bit of reality to bring him back…but scary…i am glad the neighbor came home and off he ran…intriguing though that you still wonder about him…
Powerful, Liz. Glad you are safe, sad he was so distressed. My eyes are having some trouble with the fonts and colors on your page, but hopefully they will adjust.
Oh! After I posted, the black font changed to white….MUCH better!!
Wars like those created many frightening situations for those away from the war zone…glad yours ended without harm to you and your family.
This was a very chilling post, Liz. I understand your fear. I am so glad nothing more happened, that finally the sarg from next door came home. I am sure you wonder about the man outside War is definitely hell, though that kind of behavior is not excusable in any way.
really chilling, a horrible feeling of helplessness.
It must have been so frightening. I wish the seargant would’ve taken that poor soldier to a shrink. Living on the edge for months would have removed any fears of the consequences of his harassing you.
war can do strange things to a person’s psyche. scary moments, surely.
a chilling read.
This must have been a scary time for you. You made shivers run up my spine for you.