Sabaydii,

 

Here is the continuation of a series ‘Coming Home’ entitled ‘Pakse – the beauty of the South’.

 

Hakphaang,

Kongkeo Saycocie

 

 

 

By the time we reached Pakse

The city I had never been to

Darkness already crept in

 

Lodging at the hotel by the river

The park in front

At one time housed the monument of Katay[1]

The forgotten Lao Issara[2] intellectual

Grant Evans[3] had so much to praise

 

Exhausted I was

Traveling all day long

Taking in all the Lao scenery

I missed so much

 

With my head on the pillow

I fell fast asleep

Our driver

Young and full of life

Took off for a night life

With only $10 at the most

He could take out a girl

And had a time of his life

 

Only some time before dawn

Did he get back

And still being alert

To do his job as our driver

 

I myself rose up early

Used any minutes of the time

Exploring the city

The gem of the South

 

Being that the time I came to Laos

Was in the rainy season

Rain began to pour down

The night I arrived

 

 

Once I stepped out of the door

A small puddle already danced in the street

More enticingly

Lao women dressed in the traditional costume

With Sinh[4] and PhaBieng[5]

Carrying a bowl of alms

Filed graciously past me to the temple

 

With no hesitation whatsoever

I wholeheartedly followed them

And felt what it was like

To be a true Lao again

 

Buddhism long departed from the country

Had made a comeback to Muang Lao

What a joyous moment to witness

 

Laying by the temple stairs

An old beggar in ragged clothes

Continuously raised his hands

Praying he did

For a better life next life

 

 

I couldn’t help

But pulling out a Thai bank note

Left from my stay in Thailand

And dropped it in his tin bowl

 

Amidst his many words of thanks

I took off from the temple compound

And never to look back again

 

8.1.03