My Salutations Poem by Ravi Panamanna

(Based on a weekend paper report which highlighted the story of Koeut Vorn who was a locomotive piolet in the Cambodian railways. He met a hard life among those endless tracks from the gorilla group of Poll Pot. I do not know whether this loco piolet is alive today or the terrorist group either. If he is alive today, may god bless him.(Date of composition 10/04/1994)
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Koeut Vorn of Phnum Pénh!
All my salutations to thee!
Between Phnum Penh and Bă t Dâmbâng
Among the endless tracks,
A loco piolet, thou art at risk.

The train is an old timer,
It won’t listen to distances.
The brakes are improper,
The tales of times are clearly sharp,
All the way a metallic rattle is heard.

This is only part of the tale-
Poll Pot’s gorillas wait for a sale.
Mines may explode,
Blood can profusely shed
And the entire train might vanish.

It has always happened,
Those Cambodian plains witness no peace.
Beware! Poll Pot’s men are around
And the guns resound
Swallowing life like a blood hound.

Koeut Vorn of Phnum Pénh!
All my salutations to thee!
Death is alive on these tracks
And any moment, quite unheard of,
Thou might perish in the wilder plains.

Thou art aware of it, accept it,
Dark days are in ample store.
What else is left for you?
This is thy bread and butter.

Pochenrong, Tuol Leap, Bat Deeng and Tbeng Khops-
Covering these restless zones
Thou at last arrive Bat Dambang.
Koeut Vorn! Till tomorrow’s day light
Thou art safe, can now melt in the city lights.

‘Morrow at six twenty
Thou wilt board the Phnum Penh bound train.
It might be thy last trip
But thou prefer not to think about it tonight.

Koeut Vorn of Phnum Pénh!
All my salutations to thee!
Between Phnom Penh and Bat Dambang
Thou spread thy wings
And carry out a mission sacrificing thy life.