Mixed reactions over children's poems
Sumana Saparamadu
POETRY: To mark the 120th birth anniversary of Cumaratunga
Munidasa, Visidunu Publishers brought out a set of four books - four of
his very popular children's poems illustrated in her inimitable style by
Sybil Wettasingha, better known among children as Sybil Nenda (Aunty
Sybil).
Visidunu Publishers, the company set up by Cumaratunga's grandson
Gevindu, has also opened a bookshop at Nugegoda, Sited a few yards away
from the High Level Road, in what was once someone's beautiful
residence.
The bookshop has been named 'Kiyawana Nuwana'. The name will ring a
bell at once to many who were in school in the late thirties and
forties. It was the title of a set of Readers for primary classes
written by Cumaratunga and used in most schools in that period.
Four books
The four books brought out to commemorate Cumaratunga's 120th birth
anniversary are, Ha Ha Hari Hava, Maleka Maleki, Goda Itha Loku Satha
and Sirimath.
The first, about the hare is a perennial favourite and as with all
popular nursery rhymes and children's poems, its author has been
forgotten. I have seen verses from this poem published in the children's
pages of newspapers with never a mention of the author's name.
I confess, though I could repeat almost the whole poem, I didn't
`know the name of the creator of this delightful piece on the antics of
a hare, until I picked up this book. It was first printed in Kiyawana
Nuwana Book 1 (1937) headlined Havage Vaga.
The other three poems were also published either in Kiyawana Nuwana
or in Shiksha Margaya-the two sets of Readers Cumaratunga brought out in
the 1930s.
Long poem
Maleka Maleki is the last verse in a long poem headlined Mal Basa
(Flower Talk) in the Shiksha Margaya Book III (1933) Each verse is about
a flower familiar to children.
The similes and metaphors at once evoke a picture in the child's
mind, says the poet. The 'Wathusudda' looks as if it has observed 'Sil'
even though it is not a poya day.' What better way to described a bush
covered in a mass of white flowers.
The last verse which is the subject of this little book takes the
child by surprise. "Wonder of wonders' a flower inside a flower. Each
line is in a large font and has a double page illustration.
This is the kind of book a mother can read to a 3-year child keeping
him on the lap. The child will take delight in Pointing out the birds
and butterflies and will tell that mother that they are as amazed and
curious as the girl and boy in the picture "What is this flower in a
flower.
Once the child has gone through the book the secret is out, but it
will not make the rhyme and the illustrations less attractive. Children
love to go back to and illustrations that have caught their fancy, and
as they turn over the pages they will repeat the relevant line.
Artist's ruse
Goda Itha Loku Satha (The biggest Animal on Land) doesn't have an
elephant on it cover. Instead there are an out-size tortoise and a snail
in conversation. This appears to be the artist's ruse to whet the
child's curiosity. In 12 lines with two words to a line Cumaratunga
draws a fine pen-picture of the 'biggest animal':
Enga thadiyi
Loku vediyi
Esa podiyi
Hama dediyi
Each line is like the brush stroke of the consummate artist that
Sybil is. Sirimath is a poem I too had learned at school. It gives what
should be the daily routine of a well-brought up child apt today as it
was 70 years ago. In this book there's a page to a verse and the whole
poem is printed in the last page. It is the pattern followed in the
other books too.
Cumaratunga Munidasa was a purist. He was particular about the
correct use of the two Ls and 2 Ns, and the correct inflexion of words.
Hence some words in these poems are tongue-twisters and some are
puzzling to children of the age they were written for.
Flower in a flower
Maleka maleki - a flower in a flower - is grammatically correct, but
it isn't easy on the little tongue. The colloquial malaka malaki comes
more naturally to them. It is the same with words like ehe leva,
Sethapuva in the poem about the hare.
A grade 2 girl and a grade 3 boy, both in Colombo schools, to whom I
presented the book about the hare read the poem with difficulty
stumbling over many words like those given above.
They wanted to feast their eyes on the vibrant movements and
expressions of the hare. Sybil is at net best in this book. Will a child
in the same grade in a rural or small town school read fluently. I
wonder!
A word to Sybil, in good faith. I know she will not take it amiss
coming from a friend of fifty years. I read out the poem about the
elephant to a child not yet three while she had her eyes fixed on the
illustrations. She couldn't understand why the elephant's body was
covered with leaves and flowers. I said the elephant was in a thicket.
Illustrations must elucidate not confuse. |
