[POETRY]

Poson reminiscences

On silent feet, those hours come back to me-
As we sat to rest on Thuparama?s steps;
The Poson moon, reflecting on your eyes
As spell-bound we gazed, in deep surmise.
Pilgrims strides, unending, softly swept-
Filled with Gathas low, their murmuring lips,
As man and child, with sadus echoing walk;
Enthralled with all around, we scarce could talk.
That night stood still, hours bereft of care-
Held us bewitched, like chiselled lovers mute.
The moon no doubt stole her looks on us
To leave the night we did, in solem trust.
Now o?er the years of long ago, I trace
That Poson day in mellow reminiscence!
The memory fresh, yields not to time?s decay,
As you remain, the fragrance of bouquet!

H. Shelton A.T. PEIRIS

Sakyamuni - the Super Human Being

His smile reflects the love supreme,
And in his slumberous eyes
Desire less is the tranquil dream,
Infallible and wise,
Sweet lotus fragrance fills the air,
And everywhere is peace,
While pilgrims kneel in silent prayer
To calm the mind?s caprice

Heart sorrow drenched in grief confess
Their doubts, their hopes and fears,
They seek for solace in distress,
Unmindful of the years,

The poor their burdens gladly lift
In loyalty divine,
That they may place a simple gift
Upon the Buddha?s shrine

His eyes hold sympathy sublime,
He sees the things we do
And through the avenues of time
We seek those postures new
To find the secret of such bliss
We try, but all in vain,
Content with little - only this
Can free us of life?s pain.

Jayatissa P. PATHIRANA

Image Samadhi

On an unknown day,
A sculptor not so famous
Gifted abundantly with intuition,
Whose name is shrouded in history,
Carved the marvellous image Samadhi
In a trance like state
Out of an insensitive monolith
Lying alone in sylvan Mahamevuna
In the distant past.

The creative, assiduous artisan
Moved, profoundly by idolatry
Performed the awesome miracle
Having honed his innate talents
Being wrapped in ineffable patience

With the unsophisticated chisel and hammer
He etched the virtues of four sublime states,
Viz Loving Kindness and Compassion,
Sympathetic joy and Equanimity
With unflagging enthusiasm
On to the serene countenance
Displaying his artistic skills
So as to inculcate mental integrity
In fellow men and women
Of unborn generations.

Lyricists composed a myriad of lyrics,
Writers wrote a multitude of articles,
Poets penned profuse poems,
Appreciating this fantastic creation
That astonishes the throngs of pilgrims,
Who behold the image with awe
During the sweltering day time
Amidst swirling, stifling dust,
Particularly in Poson season

In contrast,
At dead of night,
Serenity is pervading
The full moon is gliding
Like a gilded swan
Over the tree tops
Nodding in the cool breeze
In front of the image.

Mellow moon beams in their millions
Are cascading freely around
Showering the image with piety,
Cooling the solitary surrounding immensely
Instilling tranquillity all over the grove

The lonely image Samadhi,
Suddenly, in a state of confusion
Shed a drop of tear secretly,
Failing to hold it back surreptitiously
Asking a conscience pricking question
?How this once hallowed land,
Thrice blessed with my visits
Became an accursed land of
Gruesome killings and ignorance
Crimes and violence
Self deception and fraudulence
Selfishness and hatred
Hypocrisy and mendacity
In spite of my logical, unambiguous teaching
Sabbe Satha Bawanthu Sukithaththa
Sabbe Sankara annicati
Which transcends all parochial attitudes
Such as racism and religious fanatism
In addition to schizophrenia
That bring disrepute to humanity?.

Sarath SANDACAN

Anger

How ugly is an angry man! his sleep
Is comfortless; with fortune in his hands
He suffers loss; and being full of wrath.
He wounds by act and word. O?erwhelmed
By rage, his wealth he wastes away, made mad
And crazy by his bile, his names bemired
With odium, shunned and forsaken is
An angry man by friend and relative.
By wrath is loss incurred; by wrath the mind
Is racked, irate, he knows not that within
Fear is engendered, nor knows the goal.
When anger-bound, man Dhamma cannot see;
When anger conquers man, blind darkness reigns.
A man in wrath finds pleasure in bad deeds
As in good deeds; yet later, when his wrath
Is spent, he suffers like one scorched by fire.
As flame atop of smoke, he staggers on,
When anger spreads, when youth becomes incensed.
No shame, no fear of blame, no reverence
In speech has he whose mind is anger rent;

Ven. Mahanuwara Sasanawanse Thera

The Truth

Having removed the cist in the brain
He lost half of his senses and memory
A part of the rupakaya is removed
A relative part of the arupakaya is also gone,
I compare him to a machine
Oh! But, poorly manufactured
spare parts are hardly available,
Never feel life is a misery
It?s only a battle to be won
Never give up and accept the status quo
Never postpone matters until the next birth
There is no time to lose
Since there will be no second chance,
?Brito and Monika due to their deep love
so negative to face reality
fear of barriers in life
jumped from the world?s end
and died clasping their bloody hands
hoping to get together in the next birth?
Thousands taken away by the sea waves
Why you have not been protected
If you were protected
Why this discrimination
you from the other?
Probabilities and coincidences are there
Never misinterpret them as
God?s power or fate
It may be your negligence
Good and bad just two sides of a coin
Who would punish the bad?
Who would praise the good?
Except the law, no one there
Up above or underneath to hear our cases
here or beyond the graveyard.
In the childhood you must play while you learn
In the youth you must enjoy while you live
With the maturity you must happy and contended
on what, you have gained
At the end you must go just as you came
Until then keep in mind the machine should run.

Palitha RANATUNGE

Flight to eternity

I am at my favourite window,
It gives me a fairly fine view,
Of a glorious sunrise or sunset
Bringing calm thoughts to mind.

But what meets my vision today?
Men, women, symbols of craving and ignorance,
Trying to outdo each other in a rat-race.

The glory of sun and sky, the sea, the good earth-
Goodness of nature is meaningless to them:
Chasing each other, blood-thirsty,
Thirsty for the blood of their kin,
They are blind to all good in man.
They care naught for the creatures of nature,
Deaf to delightful bird-song,
The delicate voice of a feathered friend.

Sing, sing on, blithe spirit,
But linger not, in this sinful mess.
Soar higher and higher to seek blissful solitude.
Sure, we?ll miss all that sweetness.
But you know best,
What the great Poet said:
?Heard melodies are sweet;
But those unheard are sweeter,? yet.

Mallika WIJESINGHE

The Poson Day

Peace and freedom flow over the rock
Where Mahinda Thera once set foot
Violence and hatred have disappeared
Where once King Piyatis went hunting.
The whole land?s pious with devoted hearts,
The whole hearts are pure with holy words.

The day the hunted got its freedom,
The day the hunter bowed to the truth,
The day that enlightened all hearts and minds,
Paved the way for a blessed nation.

The day the dark clouds of falsehood
Swept away by the wind of the truth,
The day all were bound together
For two thousand years and many more.

Ivan KIRIELLA