LIFES POEM - BY JAYAPALAN The snake eyes in the river bank the frog entranced by the flying insect; a sniffing mongoose, scurrying; on the deers green path a human trap spread out; that which is fearless lives; the PALI river moves on nourishing some trees, uprooting others. Man of Titanic dreams where in your schemes lies a floating iceberg? Yet even in drowning, you play the violin, living in death; condemned to die a wise Greek man choosing to live. Unmarked vehicles roam, enemy guns open fire, shackled by murderous friends waiting endlessly, the desire to live flooding over me, I remain a river of life; no other poetry in me but this. My hands stained only by the tears of some women; I hate my bleached poetry disdaining the human praising the man; transcending gender to reach the human, that is freedom; to be rescued by generous men and women, that is glorious. Terrible poetry I have written at times; but always I have lived, a good poem; ask my Sinhalese friends, my Muslim brothers and sisters, when war descended on me, I tried to be human; that,then, is my best poem. To stand straight; embrace the love of life, that is my poetry. Translated by Chelva Kanaganayakam (Wilting Laughter)
Posted on: Mon, 25 Nov 2013 05:22:14 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015