AT THE ASIA FOUNDATION (My Two Poems Read)
នៅឯពិធីសម្ពោធបើកពិពរណ៍ "វិចិត្រសាលសិល្បៈសហគមន៍" Community Arts Gallery រៀបចំដោយ អង្គការមូលនិធិអាស៊ី នៅការិយាល័យកណ្ដាលនៃអង្គការ កាលពីព្រលប់មិញ កំណាព្យទាំងពីរនេះ មួយជាភាសាខ្មែរ (ខ្ញុំបានសរសេរកាលយប់ថ្ងៃច័ន្ទទី២៤វិច្ឆិកា) និងមួយទៀតជាភាសាអង់គ្លេស (ខ្ញុំបានសរសេរកាលព្រឹកមិញថ្ងៃអង្គារទី២៥វិច្ឆិកា) ត្រូវបានអាន៖ មួយជាភាសាខ្មែរ ខ្ញុំបានអានជាមួយកញ្ញា វង្ស សុជាតា ឯមួយទៀតជាភាសាអង់គ្លេសអានដោយអ្នកនិពន្ធខ្មែរអាមេរិកាំង នាង Elizabeth Lisa. (អាវក្រហម) - With Artist Khiang Hei, Dr. Theresa de Langis, Kara Kristin Spore, Silas Everett (Country Representative of The Asia Foundation, the host), Elizabeth Lisa, Vong Socheata, Vicheanon Khieu, Patrick Mosolf, Andrew Jilani, François Vioud and Silvia Anaid Gr, Laura, Seng Visal, Prak Kannith and others. After the reading I was given one thumb-up after another by participants in the audience. My special thank goes to Khiang Hei for invitation and The Asia Foundation and Silas Everett for the first quarterly event, and all the audience for their likes and applause.
1. Strolling in Phnom Penh is a young couple,
Along streets trying to find where to sit –
Like – local as well as foreign – people,
On a bench, in a shade where, they think fit.
To pass their time in green space and reading –
They see no space available – nothing!
2. Shaking head, they look around and around,
Half squatting, a computer on their lap.
– And not a bench in a shade can be found –
Thus, scrolling their eyes on the city map.
Yonder, the pedestrians can’t cross the street,
Cars, m’bikes, tuktuks ... taking their ways of feet.
3. Look! Traffic jams at cross-roads, over there –
In rush hour and the shortest is half an hour.
Potholes in the streets, as if they don’t care,
Scattered under the very nose of the leader,
– Building the head and repairing its tail –
In cycle of corruption as things fail.
4. The couple though smiling look disappointed,
Walking on the sidewalk, they stop and talk.
“On it, pots of plants as decorated!
Not just are they an eyesore, where can we walk?”
‘Tis threatening with a downpour – lo and behold!
What would we do with goods things to be told?
5. A rainstorm attacks Phnom Penh cats and dogs.
And most of its streets are thigh-deep flooded –
Although, not like in the west where it fogs.
Enjoyable are each and every kid.
Whereas the City’s streets become rivers –
And cars: Rolls-Royce, Lexus – all ... their swimmers.
6. And the anomalies? Let’s think a bit
– Fillings-in of lakes in and around town –
For land to sell as the Premier put it –
And what to do? – We have all to sit down.
And debate – On Phnom Penh of Cambodia –
Four decades back known as Pearl of Asia.
© rbu_spp 11:26 am Nov 15, 2014 Sao Puthpong, Cambodia
Khmer-American writer Elizabeth Lisa, in red blouse read this poem of mine at the event.
