Sabaydii,

 

Here is the continuation of a series ‘Coming home’ entitled ‘Pakse – a last look’

 

Hakphaang,

 

 

We left Pakse

For Thakek[1]

Right after dropping off our Japanese friends

At Ubol

 

As our vehicle passed through

The old cranky iron one-way bridge

I took a good look at the river-like city

 

 

There

pedestrians and bikers alike

Waiting patiently for the cop to signal

A go-ahead pass over the bridge

 

In the distance

A couple of boy monks bathing at the river

Splashing water

Playing like kids

One more time

 

Far beyond

A pack of Tuk-Tuk[2]

With their drivers stretching out on the seat

Waiting for the passengers to jump in

 

 

Pakse

A city where Chao BounOum’s legacy

Was still felt

For better or for worse

 

See

His thousand-rooms palace

Now a five star hotel

Pricey beyond reach

Dominated the entire landscape

 

 

When townspeople talked of him

You couldn’t help but detecting

A tinge of quiet reverence

The new leaders had yet to crack in

 

Yes the man was more than

What was pictured of him

 

Like it or not

Chao BounOum was Pakse

In fact the South itself

 

It would be a while

Before a sense of separateness

Long established

Tied the South back

To the whole of Muang Lao again

 

Pakse

Like a virile masculine

Itching to thrust this land forward

With simple directness

Complete sincerity

And inexhaustible strength

Powerful enough

To revive Muang Lao again

 

What you need to do is

Just wait and see…

 

8.2.03