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Sunday 20 August 2017

A ship without anchor

“For a canoe that comes to pick flowers 
to be with bullets riddled
in the middle of a reservoir
let license be granted to a lotus
among red petals a pistol to conceal.

“Instead of bringing forth separately
for common internment 
let us decree that the ocean 
must henceforth construct a plain
for a river another river to meet 
face to face.”

“Alright friend,
but tell me
of what use is the proximate sound of a lighthouse 

for a ship that has its anchor lost?” 


[translation of "නැංගුරම නැති නැවක්" from the collection "මීළඟ මීවිත" (The next wine) by Ruwan Bandujeewa]