Poetry

The Giant Tree

The clouds flowing by
Shaded with magenta
Sleeping petals rested on
Green grass,
Giving the message of another day's end

In this lonely graveyard
Kneeling near your graves
Where you are resting calmly
I'm your eldest daughter
My dear father
You are not all alone

You were the giant tree
Which gave us shelter and courage
You were our guide star
To me, my brothers and sisters
You never showed love with words
But your love and kindness
Could not be compared

The wrapping cold and darkness
Remind me to return home
So my dear father
May I step away with
My heavy heart filled with your memories!

- Malkanthi GUNATHUNGA

Freedom Fighter

A long time ago when I was a small kid
I caught a bird, a bird of brown feathers
tiny blue sparkling eyes around its short beak
I caught him after hours of struggle.

I put him to a cage that made of wood
and gave him many a food
on the following morning I noticed
he was dying calmly but with utmost pain
with eyes and mouth soaked full of blood.

He had knocked his tiny head
against the thick wooden walls
and I was puzzled and sad
why he did it?

I gave a nice cage to live
I gave sweet food to eat
I gave pure water to drink
I enquired from my mother
why he wanted to kill himself?
and I was told, fear of death it died
knocking its head on the wall.

No, Mother, after many years
today, I know why he died.
He struggled and died
fear of losing the freedom of life
because there was no use of living
without freedom.

- Palitha RANATUNGE

In memory of Jeyaraj Fernandopulle:

We will forget you not

Words cannot state the sorrow
When we learned the tragedy of your demise
Which was felt not only to your loved ones
But for the country as a whole

A loving father, friend and mentor were you
Best compared to a beautiful flower
Which blossomed in the mud of corruption
A vast library of knowledge were you
With God's grace used it in words
And so powerful were your words
That none stood a chance to oppose

If you grieved, you did so in seeing
the plight of the needy
And help the needy you did
Often people would come to you
with their misfortunes
And you would always help them,
turning their misfortune into fortune
A jovial individual were you
Bearing a great sense of humour
But never in spite
Did you utter a word

You were taken away from us
Because of the mindset of a heartless villain
But your memory will forever linger
In our hearts which you truly touched
Rest in Peace Dear "JAJE"
We will forget you not

- Nilupul FERNANDOPULLE

The Power of a Candle

The candle light is beautiful
In the stillness of the night
It glows and flickers
Illuminating the darkness

Some lives are also
like candles in the dark
waiting to be lit
to glow through the night

So if you see a candle
In darkness and unlit
Take time to stop
Just to light it up

You will see the difference
How it comes aglow
Radiating light
To the darkness around

Life is like a candle
Yearning to be lit up
With a matchstick of goodness and love
We can light up a whole life!

So never underestimate
The power of the little candle
Let your candles be kind deeds
Radiating goodness to those in need.

- Arundathy GUNAWARDENA

A Slain Hero from his Grave

Bravery was my motto when I was living
Fear was a word I did not know the meaning
Battle field was my home away from home
It was so pleasant I did not go home

Our foes were for our blood all the time
So were we from morn till night
Sleep was a word not coming to mind
As we were on toes to mow down the foes

Order from the top to go for war
Was a sweet word to ear and hear
We were armed from hair to toe
In march we went to fight the foe

We marched, we ran, we crawled and climbed
To reach our target in the jungle or terrain
No food, water or sleep in time
Kept us away from the mission assigned

I was a soldier to the hilt
Who fought hard for my country best
I was not recognised in my life nor in death
I have no hatred for such un-kindeth

We shot and we were shot
Wounds afflicted on us and them
Agony of war is that none will win
Though some claim that they won and
only others lost

The day I became the victim of a bullet
I faced it with courage and all might
My body was brought to my home of birth
Miles away from where I met with my death

Mother, father and brothers and sisters
Wept for days on the loss they suffer
My soldier brothers in attention with arms
Stood around my coffin to give me honour

I was interred in the burial ground
With a Guard of Honour by the service platoon
They fired shots in the air with service arms
That is the end of a soldier, in simple terms

We are remembered once a year
With floral tributes laid by a statue near
Why are we remembered even once a year!
Because we sacrificed our today for
your tomorrow dear

- J. NAGODAVITHANA

King of Birds

In the thickly jungles
Where flowers and fruits bore
There was terrific commotion
Among the little birds to find
Who should be the king!

"I can talk" said parrot
"Nonsense ye're of no use"
"I can fly higher than clouds"
Said the eagle, - challenge
"I am the dirt cleaner
Qualified to be a king"
Said the black crow.

"I am the wisest," said owl
"Nonsense ye're blind at day"
"I am the most beautiful"
Danced peacock - challenge
"when there are two of us
There is joy to the man"
Said the magpie.

"I am wearing a crown," said cock
"Nonsense ye're a tasty dish"
"I make houses for ye to live"
Said the woodpecker - challenge
"My blue costume strikes nature
And my name suits the crown"
Said the Kingfisher.

Birds were arguing, and pecking
There were rifts with each other
Finally Lord seeing the plight
Sent His Emblem - no challenge
He fanned 'em with peace
All crowned the white dove
Unanimously he was the king.

- Malathi PERERA

Colour of Blood

Oh! Thinking human!
What's the colour of your blood?
Is there any other colour than red
In your blood?
Then why do you boast of your race
Or ethnic superiority?
That thinking is absurd and irrational
Don't you realise this truth
Proved by modern scientists?
Why do you call others as those of
Low birth and caste
Since blood is red for all?
Just think for a moment
Liberating your self from
Irrational ideas of discriminations
Between a man and another man
All human beings are one race
Sans minor differences of caste and birth
So let's all call ourselves as brothers
And sisters of one mother.
And lead a life of peace
And harmony.

- M.Y.M. Meeadhu

Death of Ego

Living, the ego seems God in our bodies
That live by a liver,
Kidney and heart's disease.
The ego is in a quiver
As if a shirt of flames it wears.
That is the burden a human bears.
There is no such God in a body
But death comes to everybody.

- Patrick JAYASURIYA