Monday, April 28, 2014

To read between the lines

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"The land is empty now
The pitted limestone
invaded by the sea
drowns, vanishes
waves of rust swell & billow
beating into hollow caves & burial urns
filled with the ash of bodies
cremated by the fire of bullets..."

I read war poetry of my own land
Sitting on the teak- shaded veranda
sipping the soothing king coconut
smelling the spicy home-made curries...

To feel the BB, intangible

Bombs & bullets
Burning Bodies
almost impossible to my deaf immature soul.
It is annoying
like a bumble bee 
bungee jumping inside the head
giving a headache,
because 
I only wait for the bread-vendor, who whizzes by
like the missiles on TV, 
in every day news
to buy the best bread rolls.
Can I afford to miss him?

Again, the poetry,

Oh! Beautifully written
I can surely admire.
Forsaken lands, ashes R.I.P
As they say
But,
Tamil land mines
Come to senses, at tensed periods
woken up 
By the comfortable  Colombo shoes 
of ours
To create the headings
in Daily news papers
like the Kevums & Kokis
We prepare, to celebrate
The Sinhalese New year...

Inhumanity, Ignorance or Indifference

What is more sinful?
I wonder, hurt & betrayed
Snuggling up to the pillow 
Where I have hidden 
The photo of My darling,
Shivaji...

They write, eat & sleep

I read, eat & sleep
Some, watch , eat & sleep
War is nothing but Drama
Village women discuss
Washing dirty , not linen 
but cottons
near the public wells.

The loud- speaker

of the nearby village temple
starts the daily Pirith Chanting
" Sabbé Saththa Bawanthu Sukithathatha"
The deep sounds of B & S
of Saffron Monks
become the sudden relief,
Like the Tiger balm
Amma applied on my forehead
to heal this headache...



By Jahooli Devi 



Notes :
Sabbé Saththa Bawanthu Sukithathatha" Pali term in Buddhism saying may all the living beings be happy, is chanted to bless people & spread kindness, in a daily basis in Pirith Chanting.

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