To Survive, Even Thrive
My country will survive corruption in parliament, arbitrary arrests ordered by the executive, bodies washing up at Galle Face, at the Beira Lake. My country will survive farmers shooting elephants…
Poetry
Governor, listen
Photograph by Marisa de Silva Father Jeewantha Peiris, Mahanama Thero, Joseph Stalin, from diverse denominations and political persuasions, are Aragalaya heroes, who called the bluff of the emperor, leading to his…
The State Versus The People
The State, knocked down in the early rounds of Aragalaya, is back, sparring and dodging and delivering upper cuts again as if nothing has happened, as if the struggle is a…
Dying in the Fuel Lines
Photo courtesy of Daily FT When Gota ran away we raised arms and shouted gratitude to God, to fate, to a possible return from the nightmare but his fleeing did not…
Aragalaya March
We walked for twenty kilometers and more from outlying suburbs, from neighborhoods in the city, on the way to the country’s maidan, to . We jumped into vans with full…
The Aragalaya Replies
Why keep knocking at the front door of that house? Let go. Go away. Go to sleep and wake up refreshed. Build your own door. Build your own house. Nobody…
Prayer for The Struggle
We are closing our eyes and we are opening them. We are walking about the house looking at photographs. We are calling old friends on the phone. Back at home 225 members…
The Candid Candidate
Yes, fantastic is right, wondrous. amazing the news. But there is some trepidation as well in my mind and heart. Parliament may blow this chance. I pray they do not. If…
Listen to the Pulse
The people will not be robbed of their fundamental right to choose their leaders, and to discard them when they fail to lead,when they steal, when they ruin their charge. Extra- …
A New Map
He resigned by email. Was there an electronic signature made possible by DocuSign? Will that stand up before the court of history, of public opinion? Did the email come from his…
Waiting by the Phone
The bird, the plane, the strong man, the “terminator” went to Male then to Singapore. He will get to Riyadh I understand. Where to house the fallen dictator? Should the United…
The New Way
Gota has gone. Mahinda has flown Basil forgot his passport. Chamal is wondering about in a fog. Namal, ah the great hope, the son, what happened to your Lamborghini? What…
To The New Administrator
The fourth wall has crashed and the audience is now on stage making tea and frying omelets in the kitchen, lounging on the guest beds, diving into the swimming pool. Unheard of,…
The Economics Of Poetry
I will try to balance the books, moral and historical ones, caused by migration, that give me a paycheck and put food and drink on the table, that keep my…
Guy Amirthanayagam
Guy Amirthanayagam (October 23, 1927- May 17, 2003) My father would have enjoyed my new enterprise, writing the sonnet free of the common shackles of obligatory rhyme but standing still in the…