All posts filed under: Poetry

Southeast Asian American Verse in the Time of Coronavirus

Published by Staff

Looking for something to read because you find yourself suddenly with a lot of free time but no place to socialize? This year is the 45th anniversary of the Southeast Asian diaspora, especially for the Lao and Hmong community. Because April is National Poetry Month, Little Laos on the Prairie is providing a reading list of poetry books that are still relatively easy to order from Southeast Asian poets. We recommend ordering directly from their publishers to support them, but you can also find many at major new and used bookselling websites. Lao Poets Light by Souvankham Thammavongsa, Pedlar Press, 2013. This collection won the Trillium Award in Canada for the best book of the year, examining life in Ontario. Light is among the one of the author’s books that are easier to find hers compared to her classics Small Arguments and Found, the latter of which was inspired by a scrapbook she discovered in the trash her father had kept while in the Thai refugee camps. Found later inspired a short film. Her latest collection, Cluster tackles everything from war to …

Dances for Salavan

Published by littlelaosontheprairie

When the mangoes ripen in the smiling sun I’ll dance my feet in Salavan. I’ll dance my feet in Salavan. Wearing a white sinh dress. I’ll dance my feet in Salavan. The deep forest valley will tap its toes. I’ll dance my feet in Salavan. When the frangipanis create a rustling choir. I’ll dance my feet in Salavan. And the moonshine sky a glass floor. I’ll dance my feet in Salavan. With children’s bodies rolling waves. I’ll dance my feet in Salavan. And elephant tusks of songs. I’ll dance my feet in Salavan. Ghostly bamboo houses and whistling grass. I’ll dance my feet in Salavan. Oh Laos, oh winds of sweet rice fields! I’ll dance my feet in Salavan. Oh dried tears and senseless fire! I’ll dance my feet in Salavan. Drops of sugar canes, empty hillside, gazing sunset! I’ll dance my feet in Salavan. I always said I’d dance my feet in Salavan! Wearing a white sinh dress. I’ll dance my feet in Salavan. Rice whiskey dripping from red painted mouth. I’ll dance my …