Purity of Christmas
Sara took her eyes off from the book
And pressed her face to the window pane
It was the beginning of cold December
Where all devoured in white,
The unsoiled mountain and the dark green pines
Mostly coated with crystalline snow,
The street was covered with a thick blanket
Of white and weak moonlight,
Looked like an incomplete painting
Canvas was pure white and waiting
For the artist hand to return,
Street lamps stood straight with dimmed lights
While the winter wind howled
Blinding the night with ice-white dust,
Then she could no longer see
Her own breath having misted up the glass,
This effervescent atmosphere reminded her
The songs of joy and filled stockings
Hot homemade soup and yummy sugary food
The warm smiles of people she loves
And the loud spirited laughter of adults,
Snuggling up with glowing candles
And draping over with blankets
It all brings happiness
With the purity of Christmas.
Anushani Thilakarathna
A prayer to Mother Nature
Every village consists of natural resources
Wildlife, flora, fauna and surrounding forests
Nourished by inter-monsoonal rains
Empowering man with colossal gains
Man owes his peaceful civilization
Also life’s worthy foundation.
Rich and poor, lucky, unlucky, high and low
All included in her bosom, with lot of love.
During the last few days, Lanka, our Motherland
Was devastated by floods, landslides and storms
Leaving in their wake enormous damage
Brought about by heartless ravage.
Those who have anger surging within
Make attempts to bring her eternal ruin
Many fail to realise it is their home
And they are going against universal norms
Some used nations’ resources at will
Disrupting relief and rehabilitation as well
Our vision has brought us closer to you
Making us aware of the harm done to you.
My Prayer
Dear Mother be with those who suffer
Try to make their lives not a wee bit rougher
We recall your wonderful service with gratitude
Promising to make a change in our attitude
We now feel that your pain is our pain
We should make a resolve never to hurt you again
We will gently look after you Mother earth
Not with the least, but immense faith
Let us pardon our wrong-doings and mistakes
Never to repeat till Mother nature lives
We shall do our little bit of good where we are
With grateful thanks, Mother for taking care
May you long live Dear Mother Earth
Growing each day from strength to strength.
Rupa Banduwardena
Delight at Night
What on earth gives one the tranquility?
Which the silence that prevails on a calm night brings
Who can show one the splendour
That the beam of the clear Moon gives out at night
Where can one find the solace
That night’s dimness gives
When can one find the ecstasy other than at night
That gives delight to all,
To the poor and the rich, to the young and the old,
But the modern city dweller
Who is deprived of the delight at night
By the artificially lit world where he lives in
for his mundane good
N.A.A.P.K. Nedurana