A tribute to my father

This silence reminds me everything
Your love, kindness and tenderness
As the wind blows,
I?m lost in those years,
Which I always dream
I wanted to light some candles,
But the wind doesn?t let me
Trying to walk in those untrodden ways,
But turns back in tears
Want to sit next to you which I never did,
To break this utter silence between you and me
Things have changed throughout these years
Your absence has made me down in tears
Waiting for the day to come and join you,
Till then ?GOOD BYE? my father
You?re still the best!

Surani Chandrasekera

Through the mist of memories, the poet evocatively recalls the fond memories of her father, the moments she spent with him enjoying his love, care and tenderness. Now she wants to light some candles for him. But the wind put off the candles. She now longs to sit by him which she didn?t do when he was alive. Although years have passed by, the poet still remembers her father. The poet has used simple diction noted for authenticity of feelings. The poem is truly a tribute to a father.

At the Court

I see you
Once a month
At the Court
With a girl-child
I examine you
No tears in the eyes
But you sigh
Bring a tear in mine
Your loving husband
Have no feelings
Standing as the complainer
Awaiting the separation
You: the accused
On the other side
With a lot of pain
No any expectation

But you have to live
For the sake of his child
To make her a bright future
You didn?t have
It reminds me
We, feminine-always accused
In this male-dominated society

Ashoka Nilmini Dissanayake

The poem is about a separated couple who goes every month for the trial at a court of law. A lawyer examines a young woman with a girl child. Though the woman does not cry, she sighs which brings tears to the kind-hearted lawyer. However, her husband is waiting for the separation. He seems to be unaffected and seeks separation from the wife. The poem ends with a statement that ?women are always accused in a male dominated world?. The poet uses down-to-earth language.

Dear Lord Jesus

A pious child was born to save?
The humankind who were unsafe ?
A kind heart filled with eternal love?
Was the gift he bore from birth to grave ?

He was named as dear little Jesus?
Sent by God from heavens, to save us?
His golden heart was filled with goodness?
A gem he was ?, of course?It?s priceless?

He gifted all his wealth and strength ?
To serve others, till the last breath ?
Though he was betrayed and sentenced to death?
By the pretenders, as the followers of his path?

Dear Lord, you showed us what?s the eternal love?
Dear Lord, you gave us a hope to live?
You spoke sweet words like honey in a hive..
We pray and wish that you may arrive?

W.K.S Inoka Weerasooriya

The poem is about the joyous birth of Jesus and the supreme sacrifice he made in blood to redeem the mankind from the sin. It is the covenant of blood and the poem pleads Jesus to arrive again to heal the troubled world.

Precious mother of mine

A month has flown by since my mother?s demise
Pain in my mind will never ever fade away
Source of my soul always with me like an outline
Now I?m left alone facing the reality

I still could recollect my younger day
Her gentle smile guided my way
How tenderly I was looked after
Bond that grew would never falter

She accompanied me to College at times
She visited my College time and again
Chatted with the teachers my classmates
Up to the middle-school I could fathom

She never forgot to check my lessons
Took me to witness College big matches
Mingled her domestic work in style
Even she looked after her parents as well

When she was around happiness galore
Fond of my friends and very hospitable
She was the sunshine and gift of my life
A model of a best mother ever could be

She was devout and also groomed me
Taught the values of honesty and courage
No words could say how much she meant to me
Sheer strength and a heart of purest gold

I could even recollect when I was a grown up
She waited patiently till I return from office
I was delighted to make her comfortable
I never have left her isolated at home

I knew the tears she shed when I was petite
Yet I?m unable to comprehend to express my gratitude
I never looked for greener pastures overseas
Never ever thought to keep her alone in house

She became old but yet much graceful
It was a great strength to see her around
She was a real blessing to us at all times
Nursed very well when she fell ill

She could reminisce even her school days
Kept company with her now and again
Gave us advice even at that age
?Mother?, the word that meant a world to me

Gradually she became feeble yet worth a million to me
Day started with nursing her which became my routine
Started to office happily after attending to her comforts
Lucky enough to attend to her with my family matters

Memory of her silver hair and elegant face
Her sweet voice and the tender smile
Amidst the comforts given to her
All those are missing now for ever

On that day wee hours of Sunday morn
She had left us during her sleep in silence
I still could remember she lay motionless
How could I ever forget this grieve made me blue

My love to Mother will there be forever
Although she is not with me any longer
Only I know how much she is of value to me
Be my sweet Mother when ever I am born in this universe

- Kapila Mendis

Here the poet pays his tribute to his beloved mother who has recently passed away. In this long narrative poem, the poet revisits important milestones in his life associated with his mother.

Death - in - action

Death comes incognito
Death lies underneath your feet
Death flies over your head
Death walks over the sea and land

Death sleeps with you on the bed
Death drinks with you in the bar
Death pricks your heart ?by pass?
Death knocks you down by a tide

Death laughs inside the ward
Death marches over the road
Death segregate you from the world
Death de-links your life cord

Death strangle the life with ropes
Death combats all the future hopes
Death is unamiable in shapes
Death stings the life and creeps

Death grimase at you like a bear
Death crash your dreams and tear
Death never deal with life or share
Death is here and there and everywhere

Death nips the buds of lives with ill
Death sips the youth and suddenly kill
Death whips all the human will
Death freeze your physique with a hard chill

Death sniffs the spirit of human lives
Death scuffs and bluffs the dearest dreams
Death grips your beloved living scenes
Death erases memories, washes and sweeps

Death comes as an invited guest
Death sniffs the life spirit and tests
Death kisses mercifully by euthanasia, with the warm host
Death closes your eyes and puts you to eternal rest.

Jayasiri Perera

In this narrative poem, the poet tries to explain the unexplainable death which is omni-present. In the last stanza, the poet says, at last, death will put everyone to eternal rest which is the inevitable end of life.

In my little room...

In my little room, I am weathering a storm,
Patiently waiting for that moment
When my breath will be taken away.

Away from my wife and child,
Oh ! What am I doing here ?

?People when hurt build a wall around them,
This is only a defense mechanism? says
Ernest Hemingway.

Surrounded by the four walls.
When I look down, the sleeping carpet.
When I look up, the morose looking ceiling.

Lost to the world, I am like a wet
Solitary bird locked in a cage with feathers clipped.

Now I feel the friendly wind embracing me.
This is only a consoling blanket that hides me on bed.

With eyes dimming, like the tired sun
about to sink in the distant ocean,
thoughts of my beloved wife and son come to me.

I cannot see them, cannot touch them nor
have a loving word with them.
I am lost to the world.

With tears in my eyes, another day folds up.
Sleep is the only beacon of light in a dark world.

Sanath Wickremeratne

The poem is about loneliness. It seems that the narrator has separated from his loved ones; wife and children and now confines to his little room building a wall around him. His only companions are ?the sleeping carpet? and ?morose ceiling?. He allows chili wind to come into the room. Days pass by, aimlessly and with tears, the narrator says that the only glimmer of hope is the sleep. The poet skilfully portrays the mindset of a lonely person.

Marriage, a double bullock cart

Marriage is like a cart
Drawn by two willing bulls
Each one playing its part
By giving the needy pulls

Start seems pleasant and easy
As there is no heavy load
But they may soon run crazy
When the load becomes weighty and broad

This is an uphill trip
Though many don?t care to think
They must try to keep the grip
Without breaking the holy link

Once the load gets rotted
Due to lack of love and care
The society too will get corrupted
Spreading its influence everywhere

If one tries to get unyoked
Looking for greener pastures to graze
And go to court to get revoked
May have to face chaos and disgrace

Davidson Goonetilleke

The poem is about the marriage which the poet compares to a bullock cart drawn by two willing bulls. The willing bulls are yoked together for life and if separation seeks, they will have to face chaos and disgrace. The poem reflects the real life situation of conventional Sri Lankan marriage which is sometimes turned out to be a forced union between unwilling partners who are yoked for life.

Greetings of the Noel

When angels sang Alleluia!
The god stood praised
To Mary an angels came
Conveying god?s divine message
Fear never made to differ
Mary believed received clear
What god said about to come

A day called Christmas
A baby was to be born
She did accept without refuse
It was Jesus to be born effusive
Contemplating she leaped enjoy
Took greetings of the Noel
To Elisabeth?s surprise
As that day stood greeted by
Joseph and Mary privacy abide
In a solitary cowshed
That night they spent
When giving her birth
To Jesus Christ they said

Miran Perera

The poem is about the birth of Jesus Christ and how the god conveyed the message to Mary about the birth. To the amazement of Elizabeth, Mary accepts the greetings of the Noel. The poem has been able to capture the Christmas spirit in the poem and sheer jubilation at the birth of Jesus.