[Notes for a ballad about Yoshitha Rajapaksa]
When the mighty fall
There is a crash,
Happen when big meets floor,
And when the high and mighty fall
There’s a roar
a smirk amplified
By collective discontent
A from-the-ground endorsement
The higher,
The louder.
You were high, Yo!
Mightily high.
Should’ve known better
Is a comes-too-late whisper
But now you know
Of high and low
The laws of gravity
The sting that waits
And finds its mark.
“Selective!”
Did I hear you scream?
Oh! But of course Yo,
That’s the come and go
And going around
Out there
There may be the worse
And maybe they’ll stay free,
But that’s weak defense, you know.
As for selectivity
Witch-hunting and revenge
Well, two can clap
So if you see no yaha
In this here palanaya
It’s just name-change at the top
And name-change where they made you stop
This name and that name
The Maithri and the Vairee
But that’s just a proper nouns game
What was
Is
still
And that’s no consolation, true
Got to go with the stiff upper lip
Do the grin and bear
Of incarceration-commonality
Give or take a few
From the Merchant Ward,
Small mercies, Yo
Say 'thank you' and 'please'
It won't hurt.
There was cheer when you did soar
And now that you’ve fallen
loudly will they roar
There’ll be jeer
For every tear
For there is your father and his son
As there were other fathers and other sons
In your father’s time and long before too
You are public Yo
Not others though
And so much grief
Is private and confidential
You might not know
But your father does
Yes now he does.
‘Yes, he damn well does!’
Did someone yell?
Well we can ask
‘Did you always have such voice?’
We can, Yo,
But you,
You cannot, no.
Now you are just one of many
A number and not a name
You’ve gone to a place Yo
where others have been
And still others are yet to go
And who can tell
When the jailed and jailor
Their places exchange;
It’s happened before Yo
And you for sure would know.
So Yo!
Take heart bro!
You are written about
Jeered yes,
But it’s all recorded.
Other who came before
And those who will come later
Of them there won't be word
Save those that are swallowed
On account of 'what's-the-point'
Think about it.
You have time.
