A tribute to his eminence Cardinal

A tribute to his eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith
C.M. proclaimed
?We have a cardinal a providential appointment indeed?
S.T echoed ?from Polgahawela?
Welcome news breaks in
Received with pride, honour and gratitude

After a lapse of time
A son of Sri Lankan soil
Decked with red hat

Focusing attention of the Christian world
Towards the pearl of the Indian Ocean
Solely the Asian among nominated

From humble origins
He reached the lofty heights
In the ecclesial circles
Prior to receiving red hat
He was no stranger
To the Vatican inner circles

Excelling in sacred scriptures
And the sacraments
He inflated into Vatican
Embracing the Diplomatic Corps
As Arch Bishop and Papal Nuncio

He consecrated life
Based on two loves
Eucharist and the poor
Excelled in unfolding
Sacred scripture
Blessed with linguistic skills
Revealing graciousness and generosity

His grace Malcolm Ranjith
Quite deserve it
Endowed with indomitable courage
Determination, devotedness, dedication and integrity
Sublime sanctity
And skills in administration
Is a source of edification
To the clergy and the laity

May the good Lord
Guard and protect him
Grant the necessary wisdom to exercise his duties
Empowered with contributing to the growth of the Church
With fidelity and loyalty
Shepherding its sons and daughters
With astute diligence to their destiny

Camillous Fernando

The poet expresses sheer happiness and jubilation at the selection of His eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith. The poet describes the numerous achievements of Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith and how he marked Sri Lanka?s name in the Roman Catholic Church. This narrative poem is a tribute to an outstanding son of the soil. It is hoped that with his broad knowledge, skills and particularly, mastery of several languages, His eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith will serve the order, brining honours to the nation. The poet uses simple diction with appropriate metaphors to convey the ideas.

Unrealistic love

What brought you to my heart?
With the power of love
Embedded in my heart
Broke my rest until now

It was rooted deep
Arresting my heart with joy
When it was sharp
Penetrating heart with annoy

Time went on
Where we both are
When asking my heart
Cry my eyes out

How you blind me
Nowhere can I see
Frustration only with me
Be absent from me

No one can live
without love
But I have no soul
I feel that?s all

Ashoka Nimmi Dissanayake

The poem is about the love and the illusive nature of it. After lover departed, the girl is baffled by the experience and still could not recover from the shock. Ultimately, it turns out to be a fake love and lover-imposter has blinded her. The poet has skilfully depicted the changing moods of the girl.

Because of the children

My head is too heavy
With the pot of water,
That I am about to collapse anytime

The scorching sun is right above the head
Neither shade
nor a tree left
to sit and rest
for a while;
Only the rough cart track
Filled with dust
Is visible along
My feet swell
To twice their size
And unbearably aching
Each time I step on
Rough ?boralu? stones
My whole body shivers
In pain
Few miles passed
But more miles to go
Because my children
are in thirst at home

Ashi Liyanaarchchi

In this poem, the poet describes how a woman is carrying water in pot on the head from a far away place to the home. With swollen legs, she draws water because her children are thirsty at home. Using simple diction and short lines, the poet describes the plight of the woman.

A telephone call from Sri Lanka

A young voice flies through space;
A geocentric satellite brings
It to Australia,
A familiar voice; my own voice.

?Uncle, I want to come to Australia;
I want to study.
The schools are closed;
Terrorists place bombs all over Colombo.
Uncle, I want to come to Australia
Where there are no wars.
Can you help me please??

You beam your words innocently.
I never had such dreams
At your tender age of fifteen.

I cannot kill your dreams, but
There are wars in Australia too.
Some politicians crackle:
?Australia is swamped by Asians ...?
Social workers lament:
?Aboriginal people die early;
A Third World trend.?

The other day a child of your age
Died in the street;
Ecstasy:
An over doze.

My mind?s voice evaporates,
Into a geocentric satellite.

?Why are you not talking Uncle?
Can you help me please?
I want to come to Australia.?

I gaze at the receiver
Until your voice fades,
Into a geocentric satellite.

Sunil Govinnage

In this poem, the poet recalls that a young boy in Sri Lanka telephones as he wants to come to Australia for higher studies. The boy describes the political situation; schools are closed, bombs explode even in the capital and the fifteen year old boy wants to come to Australia to escape from the conflict. The poet says though he does not want to kill the dream, that there are wars (silent) in Australia; some politicians cry that Australia is swamped by Asians. The poet remains silent. The poem highlights the gap between perception of Australia especially in the minds of the Asian and the ground reality there. Thanks to the sacrifices of the armed forces, now there is no conflict and no need to close schools.

The Bride groom's visit

I don?t know why, things happened in this manner ?
Though we were seated face to face ?
You didn?t even utter a word?
I followed the same, I?m afraid?

Forgive me, of course, I couldn?t give a start ?
The boy should begin, that?s the art?.
A sense of disappointment filled my heart?
Love beforehand, we fell apart

The only relief is for me to see?
Your smiling eyes keep looking at me ?
How am I to read them, free?.
I lack the courage to look straight at you ?

Though now our chance for a talk is gone
At least, try and talk to me on the phone
Tell straight whether you prefer or not ?
I know that it?ll happen as a part of my fate?

You might?ve preferred, and wished to talk?
Or else, might?ve waited, longing to go back ?
It?s better if you revealed the all
Without giving me bubbling hopes?

Anyway, I felt that you?re a suited match for me?
Of Course, all your planets matched
With mine, when our horoscopes were checked
Radiation of stars will make life ahead..

W.K.S Inoka Weerasuriya

The poem is a social satire on match making in Sri Lanka where the girl and the boy are supposed to be in silence when they are formally introduced. In most instances, the couple?s fate is entrusted with the distant planets in the galaxy. Most of the families still believe in horoscopes and take the astrologer?s word as the verdict of the couple. In the poem, the bridegroom?s visit is described from the girl?s point of view as she also could not commence the dialogue because of the tradition.

Saint of the Gutters

Mother Teresa a unique flower worthy of praise
With more than what I can say

An angelic Agnes in teens in skeptic plains
Moved with humanity love to Himalayan range

For Calicut slummy her aid
Ushering the poorest on the pavement to homes

Often her path rugged and hill steeply many ways
Trudging and triumphing with faith in pains

To her nothing worthy than love for lepers' colony
With white and blue garb rounding sickly dying

Great! Your defeats turning to godly gains
For the ?jewel of India? award pouring

Sad! The Lilly of the valley at 87 farewell bid
Laid the saint of the Gutters? to rest

H.L.D.E Perera

The poem is about Mother Teresa and her missionaries of Charity. The poet in simple diction describes how single handedly mother Teresa commenced her mission in the gutters of Kolkata earning the name the Saint of the Gutters.

Encountering Adam and Eve...

In the Garden of Eden
There was a cricket match
The Tree of Knowledge had
Removed away to put up
A huge concrete structure.

Eves are shaking their buttocks
Very stylishly
All like without attires?
Are they really Eves?
My inner-sense stays calm!
No-not!

In the pizza hut
They crack sex jokes!
Bodies are covered with
Tattoos, paintings?
Such as serpents?animals.
Are they Adams or Eves?
My inner-sense stays calm!
No-not!

On a Hawaiian beach
Inside a darkened theatre
Behind the street walls
Besides a solitary rail track
They rest and test
All their feelings.

Are they Adams or Eves?
My inner-sense stays calm!
No-not?

At Sydney Opera House
Inside the Taj - Mahal
On the Swinging Garden
Where they are?
My inner-sense stays calm!
No-not?

In a circus parade
Over iron bars and fire grills
With fearful creatures
Lions, Tigers, Pythons and more?
Adam and Eve get together
For their bread and butter.

My ego interrogates me
Are they Adams or Eves?

Matadors take the animals lives ? vice versa
Boxers get the blood as spice
War not gives the life good price
Its only a side of gambling dice?

Whence they come from?
Where they go to?
Wasn?t a dilemma?

In the vernal arcades,
Along the silent meadows,
Over the risen summits,
And in naked azure.

I hear the sigh of Adam
I hear the sigh of Eve!

Through a half lit candle light
Inside an isolated church

I saw the light with Adam
I saw the light with Eve

Through the up roaring silence
Among the late night darkness
When the nature meditates
With tree leaves down casted
And when the waxing moon
Leave the sky.

I saw the shadow of Adam
I saw the shadow of Eve.

The writhing pain of labor
Within four walls
And breaks out tremendously
Its made by Eve.

I ween- I ween- I ween- I wenn
It?s the sound of Eve
Its the creation of Adam!

When sun corners in the sea
The pale light emits its rays
On to the rising grave stones
Within grave yard.

Finally I see
All Adams- Eves are
Lying and not resting in peace
Who are dead and not alive.

Neither Adam nor Eve
Dead as alive and
Alive as dead.

Jayasiri Perera

The poem describes the pervasive image of Adam and Eve in everywhere at cricket match, on the beach and even in the graveyard. The poet believes Adam and Eve are still alive and omnipresent in diverse manners and forms.