A Poem For Uncle Louis' 80th Birthday

Today was Uncle Louis' 80th birthday.

Uncle Louis is the singing waiter at the Blue Willow Restaurant- the restaurant where my dad and I used to have dinner every Saturday night.

Uncle Louis is the man in charge of singing Happy Birthday to all the customers at the restaurant who went there on their birthday.

My dad and I were serenaded with Happy Birthday by the lovely singing voice of Uncle Louis on many a happy occasion.

Uncle Louis was also the man who sang the lovely hymn Amazing Grace in both English and Cantonese at my dad's funeral this past June.

It was an amazing rendition- one I shall never forget.

The Blue Willow Restaurant takes its name from the famous Blue Willow China pattern.

And the pattern itself is based on an ancient Chinese legend of forbidden love- two lovers-Koong-She and Chang.

Koong-She was the daughter of a wealthy Mandarin civil servant.

Chang was the wealthy Mandarin's secretary.

They fell in love and since Chang was poor, the father forbade them to see one another.

The various patterns on the dishes, saucers and teacups of the Blue Willow pattern re-enact the story of what happened in the legend.

Since Uncle Louis sings Happy Birthday to all the Blue Willow customers, tonight was the turn of the Blue Willow customers to sing Happy Birthday to him.

Uncle Louis had Happy Birthday sung to him in English, French, Cantonese, Mandarin, Italian, Polish and Ukrainian.

Many of the customers had brought Uncle Louis birthday cards.

I was busy hitting my head because I've been so distracted by various things this past week I forgot to buy him a birthday card.

So I had asked my waitress if I could have 3 paper place mats that have the Blue Willow legend and tale of forbidden love of Koong-She and Chang on the front of them.

On the blank back of these 3 pieces of paper, I then wrote the following poem about the Blue Willow (that beautiful rare tree that kept Koong-She company in her loneliness and despair) and Uncle Louis.

I then read it aloud to Uncle Louis and his family at their dinner table.

I then handed it to Uncle Louis.

Uncle Louis who had tears in his eyes stood up and gave me a hug and a kiss on the forehead saying, "Dear Christopher, thank you so so much for your lovely poem."

When I got home, the poem was still fresh in my mind so I wrote it down in a notebook.

I then typed it in Mac Text Edit and then pasted it here.




Uncle Louis and The Blue Willow


Uncle Louis- he is a real gent
follower of the Son who's Heaven-sent
now there's an ancient legend of old
to be found on China patterns bold
that told of two lovers that did meet
their forbidden love would make you weep
Koong-She and Chang their name
their tale in China one of fame
Koong-She's father forbade their love
as he angrily struck a snow-white dove.

Though Chang was rich in heart, he had no gold
and so for this, tragedy would unfold,
Her father sent Koong-She far away
where she sadly spent many a day.
All she had for company was the old Blue Willow
that and the tears upon her pillow.

But Chang made a coconut boat
and to his delight, it did float
a message on it he sent to Koong-She
proclaiming his love everlastingly.

They did meet upon a bridge
but her father saw them from a ridge
and set out in hot pursuit.
Feeling their pain, clouds went dark like soot.

And seeing how their love was fair
they sent up to Heaven an earnest prayer
of which Heaven's gate was aware
and the lovers were turned into doves
symbols of God's peace and love.

Like the willow rare in the tale just told,
there is a gent with a voice of gold
and like that old Willow Blue
he'll sing a song for you
full of joy and hope and love
Louis' voice is a gift above.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY, UNCLE LOUIS!
-written by Dracul Van Helsing
in the Blue Willow Restaurant
on the occasion of Uncle Louis' 80th Birthday
Friday, October 1st, 2010