I am reflecting on my awe-inspiring week in Cambodia as part of the Great Lake Poets Express, alongside Wayne McCallum, Kosal Khiev, and Kristin Schuster (from Writing Through).
I’ve worked with thousands of students over the years, but I have never encountered the kind of meteoric growth over such a short span (three days) as we saw in the students from Prek Toal. At the beginning of the first workshop, the students were understandably shy and hesitant. By their second performance of their original poems on the evening of the third day, nearly half read poems in English that they had translated on their own shortly before the event. Nearly all of the students worked non-stop, through the breaks we gave them, rewriting, revising, and rehearsing. A couple memorized their poems entirely. Ones they had just written the day before. Can you imagine where these brilliant students will be ten years from now? What transformative work they might lead in twenty?
One of the most poignant moments came after our event in the floating village at the end of the second day, when a local politician, on the verge of tears (his voice breaking at several points), shared how inspired and awed he was by the students’ poems. How his own education ended after fifth grade. How he felt so moved by the event that he planned to introduce legislation to counteract pollution and reduce noise from the motor boats on the Tonlé Sap Lake. And who says a poem does nothing? Cannot catalyze systemic change?
It was an honor to be an Arts Envoy in the Literary Arts for this historic collaboration. My heartfelt gratitude to the Embassy of the United States, Phnom Penh, in particular to their passionate and committed Cultural Affairs Officer, Amparo Garcia, and her colleague, Samphos Pin. I was so touched that Amparo attended both of our events on her day off (this past Saturday). She truly represents the best of the U.S. Department of State.
I hope to collaborate again soon. For now though, just gratitude for radical work that transcends our wildest hopes and dreams, rippling outward for years to come.
My brain is already buzzing with ideas about where the Poets Express might stop next…
