The narrative of gems

From rough to shine

from earth-bowel to adornment

from step to step

there is fingertip and callous

the drawing forth and drawing upon

delicate love

in the refinement of the refined

soft eye tenderness

that imagines facet

and crafts and crafts and crafts;

it's small end of a long story

where perfect narrative

erases all that has come before.

[Inspired by the photography of Chandana Wijesinghe]

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Nodes of liberation

The commerce of cloud and color

treeless branch and trunk

silhouette and detail

birds and nests

tree and vine

flower and rock

boat and sand

back and forth

of flight and wave,

the play of backdrop

in depth-giving

and the percussion of composition;

lives are painted thus

sorrows recorded

freedoms blueprinted

and pattern and incarceration

unclenched.

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Soul

Perennial alibi

convenient lie

creature of ignorance

humorist of the fanciful

lover of the evasive,

I will not swear by thee.

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Transcription

With chisel or pen

on rock or paper

there’s canvas and there’s crafting

there’s subject  and that’s choice

the mind’s delicacy

laid out in line

and deliberate blemish

an attachment that does not varnish

where sandpaper and eraser

are robber’s tools

and left untouched;

a meditation certainly

of their passing

and our illusions. 

[Inspired by a line drawing by Gamini Abeykoon]

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Galle 'Heritage'

Break

on rock and shore

heart and history

come through dark cloud and shadow

swirl around lighthouse

and ships that were not wrecked

break

into cawing and laughter;

mark

the sentinels that remain

guarding enviously

the times that have not changed

but come with different name;

Break Galle break

slowly if you must

but break

for we are weary of lie

and shackles that  cut and cut

through centuries and confusion

cut still

like the sea

relentless. 

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Receptacle

And to that other receptacle 

of karmic mendicancy

life tosses alms

wholesome and detracting 

and we receive

or place the downturned hand

in courteous refusal

for some of us are children

and some ancient too

the karmic callousses in sole

and other marks of mind

will testify

of give and take 

and balance sheet

the how-far-we've-come

the how-much-more-to-go

we cannot read 

but must try:

kumatada kusalata kammeli vanne?*

* Is there reason then for procrastination

[Inspired by the photography of Chandana Wijesinghe]

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A children’s story

He came from nowhere

and she did too,

same name town

in different district

both as children

innocent in confusion
arrogant in conviction

and I took him by his hand

and I took her by her hand

placed one hand on the other
and watched them walk away;

they were two children

when they came to me

they  were one in togetherness

when they left.

msenevira@gmail.com

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