Because I could not stop for Death
Because I could not stop for Death
He kindly stopped for me
The Carriage held but just ourselves
And Immortality.
We slowly drove
He knew no haste
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility
We passed the School, where Children strove
At Recess
in the Ring
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain
We passed the Setting Sun
Or rather
He passed Us
The Dews drew quivering and Chill
For only Gossamer, my Gown
My Tippet – only Tulle
We paused before a House that seemed
A Swelling of the Ground
The Roof was scarcely visible
The Cornice
in the Ground
Since then
‘tis Centuries
and yet
Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses’ Heads
Were toward Eternity
Words: EMILY DICKINSON
Fate on a dot
It was the worst of the times; It was the best of times
As per the Horoscope, It was the worst of time
For, Simon was made an accuse, for a severe offence
He was convicted at High courts for a murder crime
His lawyer fought tooth and nail in favour of his defence
It was a unanimous decision by the official five-member jury
Death by hanging was the punishment as per the penal cord
On hearing the judicial judgment ,Simon was topsy- turvy
An appeal was sought immediately to console his miserable mood
The appeal suffered the same fate as that of the High Court
The final available source for him was the Privy Council
As, In that era in Sri Lankan judiciary there was no Supreme Court
Privy Council made deliberations at the behest of Sri lankan council
Simon’s lawyer hurriedly sent the relevant submissions to London
Needed for the final determination there in the United Kingdom
By default, date and time to hang was fixed for prisoners condemn
According to long practiced traditional appeal court wisdom
The death by hanging was fixed for 10.00 a.m. on 13th June
If the time is defaulted the prisoner should invariably be free
A message was received by prison Superintendent to mean
By the privy Council in London; Kill him. Not Let him be free
By that time it was only to make effective the lever for hanging
The superintendent’s type written message negated the hanging
The specified time of hanging defaulted and, ipso facto, the hanging
Hence, Simon was given life sentence, instead of death by hanging
The hierarchy dictated to the typist, kill him. Not let him go
The typist in the rush, typed it as, kill him not. Let him go
This made the crew at the hanging site to default the time
By then Simon’s horoscope showed; it was the best of times
Words: S.S.J. Fernando
Under the trees
Under the trees, share stories, we,
Gossips and secrets filling our space,
The laughter we have, the joy we share,
Will never be forgotten,
Our friendship is golden,
Smooth like the blowing wind,
Under the tree,
We are the pills of each other,
A pill no other doctor can negate on,
You are the reason why I am here,
You are the ladder I am climbing up,
A secured ladder, which never falls,
Here is a moment of dedication,
To you, my best friend,
Thank you for everything,
Let’s share stories, forever,
Under the trees.
Dedicated to my best friend, Ishara Ranathunga
Words: Kalanavi Perera