Ashes to Ashes Dust to Dust

Kingdoms that once spanned continents
Civilizations that once were the
apex of all human kind
Exist no more
But, shrouded in the veil of time and tide,
Roots cracking foundations
Dust burying columns.

Kings who once shone in prosper
Men of power who once had
the world at their command
Exist no more
But, hidden away in the brown earth
Decayed to oblivion,
They, who were oblivious of decay. Nillasi Liyanage

The poem is about might tyrants who, once upon a time ruled the earth 'oblivious of decay'. Those kingdoms spanning continents are no more. What left of them are the ruins gathering dust. It is a home truth that power and pompous comes to nothing. However, rulers of the past, present and perhaps future are more or less 'oblivious of decay'. The title of the poem alludes to the bible. The poem seems to be prototype of poems on similar themes. But the message is very much relevant today. -Indeewara

Disguised

Wake up and earase your dreams!
Shut up,don't bother to scream!
Mornings in winter?
Throw them helter skelter!
Evenings in autumn?
End the chapter awesome!
It's time to get down from the Far-Away-Tree;
The land on top is about to leave.
Entering through that cotton white cloud,
I found Enid Blyton's magic all around.
It really was a magical ground,
But Moon Face and Silky, can't come down.
Don't be a Baby! Wake up, young lady!
Sign of the Cross, I mutter a Hail Mary.
So, here I come with a plastic smile-
I've grown up! Have run the hard mile.
But behind that picture, the "real ME" hides,
With lost love and fairies, still running kites...
G.C.Priyangwada Perera

The poet recalls nostalgic memories of morning in winter which is now a distant dream. The narrator of the poem seems to have spent long years studying abroad and though now returned to motherland,The happy memories revisit. The narrator feels that 'real self' is hidden in the 'lost love and fairies'. The poet recalls the universal experiences of strong nostalgia in a diasporic existence -Indeewara

Split apart…

Amidst four high walls,
With only a pane of broken glass,
Remembering…
The lovely times of the past,

With no colleague or friend,
Neither a foe at least,
Stamping about,
Relentlessly…..

Restlessly...
Calling for freedom,
To which instantaneously,
Boredom answers,

With not a smile to be seen,
Beyond the broken glass,
Neither a cry nor rage,
To care for......

Thus he lived....
Parted from the world,
By four lifeless walls,
A life of immense grief,

"Which no one would
ever understand?"
He prisoner thought.
Gimhani Upeksha

In this poem, the poet portrays the lonely life of a prisoner whose world is confined to four walls. Through the broken glass, the prisoner looks at the outside world recollecting the happy times he spent freely. Now the only companion of the lonely prisoner seems to be the 'restlessness and boredom '. There isn't even an enemy. The poet using a simple diction has attempted to portray the mental state of a prisoner. -Indeewara

My Sinhala teacher

With a pile of books in thy hand,
Every morning I see thy face,
Looking at the children in sad,
Who runs passing, to a private class.
Corrupting clusters flame thy eyes before,
Whom you tried to grow up like flowers,
Yet you tried, but thy attempt melted, wherefore,
I see thy eyes cry not, but thy heart does.
You teach us, not for money nor anything,
But for seeing we blosom in the future,
Like a cluster of flowers - a pretty little thing,
To make us gentlemen - wise in the culture.
Here you comes and tells at the session,
"Sekara's Prabuddha is today's lesson."
H.P.Kasun Deeptha Handunpathirana

The poet describes with nostalgia the model teachers of the past. The teacher of Sinhala comes to the class with a pile of books and derives pleasure at students learning well and preparing them for life. However, the times have changed and now students are after tuition classes, cramming notes. But the teacher of Sinhala still teaches not for money or anything else but to see that students become good citizens in future and preparing them for life. The poem highlights the sorry plight of most of the teachers today whose prime motive seems to be money. Indeewara Thilakarathne