SatJaDham is proud to present an installment of our series of "Poetry:a soft voice from a (gentle) hear": I know that By Kongkeo Saycocie ********************** I know that I am just a pebble lying on the side of the road. Cars and trucks pass me by not even once do they notice my presence. From time to time, the bystander picks me up, wraps me around in her hand and like a useless object, she drops me off as fast as she reaches down for me. Is it my fault being born as a pebble? In the middle of the night, cold shivers me. I have no blanket, no home, not even a friend. I know that one is supposed to be for oneself. If one is poor, be it. If one can't care for oneself, eat it. And if one is dying, bury it. That's what I know That's what I was taught and that's what I need to keep telling myself. What I don't know is why we care less for one another. Is the world too small for us to live together? Do we have to take happiness from others so that we have ours? Or that's the way it is and that's the way it will be a beautiful world for the lucky few and an ugly world for the unfortunate many. Tonight, while you sleep in your comfy bed, I shiver terribly. When morning comes, rain and snow might have worn me out. You might not see me again when you pass by this road. If it happens that you are sorry for me, do care about the many worthless pebbles. Hold them gently in your hands. Let them know that they are precious even for a while for I don't have any of those warm moments in my entire life! ***** -- Hak phaang, Kongkeo Saycocie ***** My Lao Page http://www.cs.sonoma.edu/~saycocie/laopoem.html ***** Disclaimer : The views expressed in all SatJaDham postings are the responsibilty of the author and do not neccessarily represent those of all members of SatJaDham or the Lao community. Please send any comments, criticism, questions, or suggestions to ss2b@frank.mtsu.edu or post them on Soc.culture.laos newsgroup. For more information about SatJaDham please visit our homepage at http://www.lao.net/satjadham.html or http://www.cs.sonoma.edu/~saycocie/sjdnews.html.