Prison
The window with iron bars, beam of light above,
The prison hall with black gloomy walls covered around,
Could hear a little sound of screaming and crying,
I wonder what kind of sound it was, and why.
Day by day the sound got louder,
My heart pounding, and tears brighter,
I just got in for a robbery I did,
For six months punishment with a white suit to fit,
Every day, every night, I heard the screaming,
Though I wondered am I hallucinating,
I’m dragged to the hell deep and dark,
Hoping those who scream would attain peace at last.
Day by day I spent with grief,
To the last day of my imprisonment free,
With a heavy heart and eager to know,
Who screams from the other side loud and low.
I went outside to the bright light of freedom,
With only my rags and stuff that was needed,
Passed the road to the next door ahead,
Shocked and fainted to know the name board fed.
A butcher was sitting in low dark seat,
With a big knife cutting a big pound of meat,
Is this really what I heard all the time,
Never know the answer for what I found.
Padmaja S. Edirisuriya
Mt. Lavinia
THE SAVIOUR
Every one says,
You are the
Saviour.
IF
Can you come to my sickbed
with kindness
with compassion
with expressive eyes
Can you peep into my heart?
with tranquillity
with patience
Can you heal my heart?
a lump of flesh
soft and flux
beautifully shaped
a rhythmic beat
life and love
that settles beneath the earth one day.
YOU
black wavy ringlets
pleasant smile
expressive keen eyes
shrewd arms
grave look
long strides
reach my sickbed
thoughtfully, yet calm
touching my heart
and all hearts
equally or unequally,
Am I the ‘Other’
OR
One of the ‘OTHER’
BUT,
You are my ‘SAVIOUR’
- Ramya Wijeyasinghe