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POETRY
The perahera elephants
Once again it's Perahera time in Kandy
When elephants, large and small, young and old,
Are herded in this historic hill capital
To lovingly participate in Kandy's
Much awaited annual event
The Kandy Esala Perahera
Which has come down to us
From the time of the ancient kings
Who adored Relics, pageants and everything royal.
Tastily dressed like kings
The Perahera elephants
Loaded with multi-coloured electric jets
March majestically
In this hallowed pageant
Well-known throughout the globe
As a unique religion-cultural event
Of grace.
It's really wonderful
To see these lords of our jungle
With a sea of heads mingle
To make the Perahera
So solemn and gorgeous.
Uncrowned monarchs of our jungle,
It's a pleasure to see
You appear in one band
At the Perahera
Surrounded by bright torches, vibrant dancers,
Dexterous drummers and blaring trumpet calls.
After the Perahera
It's so sad to see
You leave Kandy
Meekly plodding your weary way heading home
In the hope of joyfully returning
To your next royal parade.
Andrew Scott
Choices
Choices are there in abundance,
In the life's journey,
They pop up
At fateful junctions
Posing a challenge,
As paths heading to
Different directions,
Tempting to travel along.
Choices can make the life fulfilled,
Or perhaps,
a repentance,
Choices; are they not
The nameboards of the life's path?
That has made all the difference.
Chanakya Liyanage
The irony of irony
Once I went to see the Princess of Irony
The governess on contrasting beauty in the world
by appointment that I received through greatest difficulty
at her rock castle in the clouds guarded by rainbows
Waited eagerly to see the elegant but guileless lady
who is revered by the whole company of literary giants
who have dedicated the colourful flowers they created;
Shakuntala, Estella, Rehana and hundreds of others
I had butterflies in my stomach wondering if
she would approve my work
which had dealt with some little irony
To my utmost astonishment
the pretty princess was found to be even more panicky
With startled diamond eyes and drops of sweat under them
busy browsing through the web
searching for definitions of irony
as if she had forgotten what it meant!
Sathis de Mel
Man made world
Man is born with different trails
No, two are similar equal
But in commissions and omissions
Governed by unseen hand
Natures, marvel, incredible
Brainwashed since the birth
Live in man made nature
Red tape all around
'No' is all the way
In an out all the same
Out and in all varies
Nobody knows what's in store
That's the secret bitter
Don't try to justify things
Nobody agrees just a while
Man made world, is thus
Sophistication, is the theme.
D M P B Dissanayake
Sacred obligation
Married - spouse, child, in-laws
Leave them a moment turn around
Ye mom ails in bed for life
Are ye prepared to sacrifice?
Medical, attention many more
Run - exert its endless sorrow
It may be the end or may not
Ye're blessed duty on top
She fed ye clothed and what not
Did she now lying her eyes blot!
"Make me live, I love to be
With ye kids, doth death peeps
My days are numbered nor I tremble
Cross my saviour, Lord's symbol
My home is heaven where I rest
Keep me till then I beg in pain"
Malathi Perera
Justice.....?
Searched you....,
Every where.....,
Where people gather,
Where they work together,
In offices,
In institutions,
And many other places
When they work...,
And among friends.....
And became frustrated,
Knowing the truth....,
The reality.....,
As you were not there....,
The scarcity of you....,
The dearth of you....,
Among communities,
Among different groups,
Showed the reality,
Of human nature
Which lacks you.
Instead.....,
Among them...,
Saw how unjustice...,
Rule others.....
Suppress others,
Curb others.....,
Those who are innocent....,
Those who are true.....,
Those with human qualities.
According to the justice,
That they perceive.
At the sometime,
Saw your existence
Rarely........,
In great hearts....,
In strong hearts....,
In great minds....,
Who cannot be changed....,
Who cannot be influenced....,
By the evils
Which oppose you.
If you follow Justice,
If you obey Justice,
If you practise Justice,
Your followers....,
Will be blessed.
And you will have
The supreme joy,
A pure conscience,
Of being a man,
Which may value
More than the other.
And, If you oppose Justice,
The followers around you,
Will be suffered.....,
And the pain they will have,
And their frustrations,
Will indicate you,
The depth of humanity
The depth of Justice
Which prevails in you,
D M A S Dharmadasa |
