Cultural POETRY

Courage and punishment

Innate ability
To see through
Enough brains

To understand
Courage to stand up
Irrespective of the consequences

Eloquence
To clearly state the truth and be admired

Where that would put you,
In a just system?

On a pedestal!

But not in our land!
Buddha, Jesus, Shiva, and Allah
Please bless our land.

Ananda P. Dasanayake

The poet expresses his sentiments about courage and ends the poem with a plea for the founders of the major religions to bless his motherland. The poet has used effective short lines to convey the message.

Plea and threat

Ahem, wait, wait,
Let me tell you,
I wait for you
But you are never around when I need you
When I call, you turn your phone off

You do not even know
The colour of my eyes
Or my favourite food
How can you be my lover?

There are many a times
You are never there
To listen to me and to my heart
Yet, I love you more

Every touch of you
Ignites me
Every word of you

Makes me fall in love with you over and again
Deeper and deeper
Harder and harder

When you say you love me
I hope you mean it
I love you
I love you more than words can say

More than the sand in the sea
I love you
More than the bones in my body

I wish you understand
How much I love you
Every word I say

I mean it
I hope you love me the same
And more than words can say
You idiot

V. John

The poem is a lover's plea as well as a mild threat. The poet has used down-to-earth language and spontaneous expressions. The poem is noted for short and sharp lines.

Masquerader...

The pain, agony, tortured soul,
Have torn you apart, not easy to be whole,
No one to console, you had to take control,
Your soul was on fire, just like steaming coal

I saw your eyes shine in the dark,
The mask is removed,
I see your true self,
Don't try to hide your tears, in this Masquerade Ball,
I see the truth, hidden behind the mask

Dakshima HAPUTHANTHRI

The poem is about an ex- love and the poet describes a chance meeting of her former lover at a Masquerade Ball where the agony of separation is revealed when the mask was removed. The poet has used simple diction to convey the message.

Put in mind

Let the birds sing sweet melodies
To please your depressed heart
Let the flowers be bloomed with fragrance
To heal your injured soul

Let the rivers be flown in silent blessings
To refresh your withered thoughts
But let the tempest not be blown
For, all your dreams be scattered into pieces

Let the sun rise gracefully
To enhance your purity
Let the moon be shone brilliantly
To pacify your painful memory
Let the stars be twinkled majestically
To illuminate your ruined kingdom
But let the heavy rain not be poured wickedly
For they will block the memory lane unrighteously

Susath JAYATISSA HEWAMADDUMA

The poem is about sweet memories. The poem has used series of wishes to express his deep-felt love for the girl. The poem is noted for its short lines.

The graceful exit

Sweet memories still
afresh
Summer scent in the
breathe
Yet,
certain
something gone-a-missing
The glory days, no more

Hearty laughter
still echo
Victory bells toll
in cheer
But,
Pieces start
falling apart

Soon in history, today

Keep the beat,
leave a treat
of memories sweet.
Let go.......
Move on
The new road

Clouds gathering,
horizon closing,
a break in waiting.
It's time......
Soon it's too
late
Exit gracefully

-Michael G

The poem is a series of recollections associated with summer. However, that enchanting summer has gone. The poet has used effective diction and apt metaphors.

The princess of New year

The Erabadu flowers have been red by the swarms of the bees
When you remind me, you have gone far away the princess of New Year

Impatiently I was looking for your arrival with open arms
The smells of yours like parasathu flowers are not erased

More and more its ficklest my heart
The pair of cooku birds stopped their giggling
Has come to listen our sweetest songs

A swing, hung on the mango tree,
In front of the house
A tambourine get heated
Everything has been faded away from my mind
Loneliness has remained with the princess of New Year

Sound of the bangles you have worn
The sweetest songs, you have sung
The gift you have presented me

Darling can I forget it?
My little princess
However, you have departed me
Your fragrance lives with me
"Let's meet up again in Samsara"

A.M Senanayake

The poet has effectively conveyed the idea of profound grief at the departure of a loved one. Since the memories are associated with the New Year, each New Year refreshes their memories. The poet has used apt diction and short and sharp lines.

To swindlers

Whatever the caste,community, class
we all belong to the same class.
So, why do you induce yourself to deceive the other
if you belong to the same class?
May be you contemplate that you are genius and smart,
When you pretending...boasting...lying... ,
Yes of course you are so genius and smart.

We are the passengers of this life journey
who finally reach the peaceful destination of heaven,
even, without our baggage and belongings.
So,what is the purpose of being so genius and smart
When you travel your journey with the human class.

Sachithri NISANSALA

The poet expresses a universal truth that each and every swindler firmly believes that he or she has deceived the world and therefore, they are geniuses. However, the harsh truth remain that they have deceived none other than themselves. The poem is noted for effective diction and apt metaphors.

Tragedy

Shakespeare if you were here
You may witness the world's change
From the stage
To the theatre.
"All the world is a theatre
Elected are players
Electors are the audience..."
Men and women on the stage play a comedy
The audience watches it in agony-
Their life in a tragedy,
With flees and bugs biting their backs,
Sucking their blood;
Little by l...i...t...t...l...e...
Throughout their life they are sucked...

Unlike your days,
Within the comedy there's an absurd play:
The audience is supposed to make sense
Out of nonsense...
"'tis wonderful how they
Can get nothing out of the play
Until Dooms Day.
If anyone makes sense out of it
He won't put it out
Cos, no one is sure about
What they should talk about...."

All the players are assigned
Three roles each, to play:
First is the innocent beggar,
Who begs from beggars
Wishing them a bright future,
Next the liar, who beneath water carries fire,
And last is the fat man
Who eats once a day.

But there is one thing that has never changed:
"The stage is lit
And the rest is in the dark;
FOR EVER..."

Kasun GAJASINGHA

The poem conveys a deep and universal philosophy that at all times " The stage is lit And the rest is in the dark; FOR EVER...". The poem is noted for philosophical ideas.