The Banana Leaf Girl (a poem by Phaiwarin Khao-Ngam)
The banana leaf girl
=
My banana leaf girl on the plantation,
Packed white rice for my meal;
For all field work or further away
Your packet of rice to get through the day.
=
You offered me rice when hunger arose,
The fragrance also refreshed the hottest midday sun;
Every bite pleasant and fragrant
A lasting perfume, almost intoxicating
=
loved you, my banana leaf beauty,
Ever watched you closely and precisely;
Then we parted, indifferent,
Irreparable, it seemed.
=
Lonely, and that in this time,
Abandoned, in an age of emptiness,
Full of heartbreak in frivolous times,
Lost and everything hopeless.
=
Giggling femme fatale, plastic jacket,
A bizarre intersection; this strange aunt
He laughed like a flirting slut
Lured me away from my banana girl.
=
Plantation beauty, stop folding,
Your green clothes will soon turn gray,
Then we hear music from plastic boxes
The end of our banana love song.
-The-
Source: The South East Asia Write Anthology of Thai Short Stories and Poems. An anthology of award-winning short stories and poems. Silkworm Books, Thailand. English title: Banana leaf maiden. Translated and edited by Erik Kuijpers.
Closer is Phaiwarin Khao-Ngam, in Thai More info ขาวงาม, Roi Et, 1961. Comes from a farming family; became a novice, a monk, attended a Sangha school and became a language and Thai literature teacher. Became a proofreader and journalist in Chiang Mai. Later went to work in Bangkok with Siam Rath. With his collection Banana Stem Horse (*) he won the South East Asia Write Award in 1995. About the poet and his work, see also elsewhere in this blog by Lung Jan:
https://www.thailandblog.nl/achtergrond/thailand-om-dichterlijk-van-te-worden/
(*) A banana stem horse is a toy for children made from the stems of the banana tree.
About this blogger
- Built in 1946. Nicknamed 'Running tax almanac' and worked in that profession for 36 years. Moved to Thailand at 55. Disability forced him from his family in Nongkhai to a house with home care and mobility scooter in Súdwest-Fryslân.
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Beautiful poem and well translated!
I couldn't find out what the first name Phraiwarin means, but ขาวงาม Khao-ngam khaaw ngaam (rising middle tone) means 'Beautiful White'.
Sorry, it's Phaiwarin but I couldn't figure out the meaning of that name either. Many different spellings are often used for names.
Anyway
Name or appearance
Everyone has their own presentation
That is what the writer often wants
I read this poem with heart and soul
And enjoyed