My Sheep is Jumping over............

 

Have you ever counted sheep?

                I have. Many times.

                                   Not that I own a ranch house.

                              Then don't you want to know where I counted them? You don't have to .You already  know it  because like me, you too  have done it so many times.

It is a very exciting feeling. To imagine an  unending line of fleecy lambs waiting patiently  to jump over a fence.

                 I start counting. "one,two,three,four"......... .

                          I visualize the eagerness of the lambs. One by one they are jumping over the fence  looking at me with their big, round eyes  and I keep on counting. "Fifty five, fifty six, fifty seven, fifty eight......................

                      The tall trees in the  green meadow sway in the wind and bees hum overhead. Gentle breeze soothes me.I feel calm and quiet."Hundred and one, hundred and two, hundred and three"..............

                 My heavy  eye lids lean on the eyes for support. 

                              "Two hundred and ninety nine.......

                     

How He Walks in Style !!

I would be doing an insult to my country as a Sri Lankan  if I  forget to mention the great cultural pagent; The Esala Perahera in Kandy.Though many things have been written and said about the perahera there is still some thing in it which never ceases to amaze us.
       For those who don't know anything about this cultural pagent, I would like to say that it is indescribable in its splendour and exquisite as a creation.
       Buddhists believe that the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha is enshrined in a casket in the temple of tooth  relic in Kandy. Every year that sacred casket is taken out from where it is devotedly deposited safely and reverently and taken around  in a procession along the Kandy city during the month of August.This procession is very very beautiful because it announces the world our proud history which goes back to 2500 years.The perahera consists of various dancers,cultural items and especially a large number of elephants especially prepared for the perahera by  multicoloured shiny  clothes with various designs.
                   They are the most eye catching picture of the perahera except the beast of grandiose which steals the lime light of this special occasion. That is none other than the Tusker which has been selected to carry the sacred tooth relic on its back.The success of the entire operation solely lies on this beast and he knows it very well.That is why that never in the history of the esala perahera an elephant had dropped the casket or had taken a wrong turn or ran wild midst all these terrible noise of whips,drums, songs and high pitched sounds and more than any thing else; the fire rings used by the fire dancers.
                   "Nedungamuwe Raja"; one of the few tuskers remain in Sri Lanka (unfortunately the numbers are diminishing fast due to various reasons , especially killing for tusks) has carried the sacred casket this time and it is said that this elephant is very intelligent and has a mind of his own when it comes to take correct decisions without a mahout.
                     It is a complete wonder to think that a mammoth task like this, which needs the time, energy and brains of several hundred people is carried out precisely and accurately by a single beast and this is a tribute to that intelligence, patience and wisdom. Hats off to Nadungamuwe Raja . May you live long to carry out the tradition of Esala Perahera.



(I would very much like to read your comments whether they are criticisms, praise or queries.)

A picture of a winter scene inspired me to write this poem

                Can't You Hear My Sobbing Heart?

  

 Oh! how I long to fit

 into this heavenly atmosphere,

To walk on untrodden snow

which is something rare

in where I live.        

Reminding me the tales

Of winter Lands

I heard in my grand ma's lap.

The house coated with white,

soothes my tired eye sight.

The horse waits ready

 to pull you to etenity.

Oh! how I long to fit

 into this heavenly atmosphere,

where I can stroll in the floor

of crispy, crunchy snow,

to be exposed to all elements

or walk in the dark woods

 behind the house;

or sit under the tree

reading a book

 of Daphne Du Maurier's,

covering my head

with a  scarf.

Oh! how I long to fit

 into this heavenly atmosphere,         

 let my toes feel

the tingling cold of the brook

and watch  they turn blue;

or to rub my palms together

 and make myself warm,

to open the windows and let

the chilly wind seeeps in.

Oh! Can't you hear my sobbing heart?

Can't you hear my sobbing heart?

This is what I feel about my son

MY GRASSHOPPER in the SUMMER

He composes hip hop and R& B

"REASON" is his tool.

Too old not to do a job

winks when I reprimand him

for his in-activeness.

Society expects the children of the teachers

to be at top levels! How troublesome !

I avoid the gaze of my friends on the bus,

dreading that they will inquire about my son,

 He has a phobia

of exams of any kind:

Used to fall ill a lot

 during his term tests.

His favorite doctor looks at me

with a question mark in his eyes:

indicating that

It is rather psychological than physical.

I,    

With a broken heart,

Return home with medication.

 Yet:When his aththa fell ill

He spent a whole week in hospital

looking after him like a baby.

He was the friend of

all the old men in that ward

fetching them all they need.

A cup of tea from the canteen:

a packet of Cream Crackers

 from the nearby  boutique:

Calls to their sons and daughters   (Though I suffered)

Takes his own time to complete the degree

doing everything he can to postpone the exams.

I , wait  helplessly

thinking what I can do to change the situation!

But Whatever you do,

 I love you!

The GRASSHOPPER of mine!



P.S.

(Luckily for me the situation has changed. He is doing a job now while continuing his studies.)

The overflowing hospitality of a proud Nation

The month of May is very important to us Sri Lankans.As the Buddhism is the major religion of Sri Lanka, we celebrate the birth, the enlightenment and the passing away of Lord Buddha during the month of May.We attend to religious work in the temples, make wesak lanterns, and display big pandols in major towns and do various charity work to commemorate the supreme religious leader.

                                 Another special feature of the month is the immense hospitality of the tiny, yet a very proud nation with a 2500 year history attached to it.People in all walks of life, irrespective of their cast and creed offer free food to all passers by on the Wesak Day.It is a marvelous and a heart warming sight to see the generosity of people who go out of their way to please others and to quench their thirst and hunger. Sometimes it is funny to see little ones waving flags and trying to stop people who are on their way to various destinations.Though the country is struggling to solve various problems arising from the past no one can deny the generous heart of a proud Nation.

Ah Ha! It's holidays again!

 You may think that I am lazy, but if you are not doing a job, you will never understand the pressure it gives to our minds. I was unable to scribble something here for a long period of time because I have paid more attention to my other  blog which deals with poems.The Easter has come and gone(I am a Catholic who lives in Sri-Lanka) and tomorrow is Sinhala and Tamil New Year. This festival binds our two major communities together and we celebrate it following the customs and rituals  specific to us.

Oh Here She Comes! My Beloved 2012

I have spent one year blogging in the 'Blogger'.It gave me an immense satisfaction and helped me to open my mind and heart to a wider audience who are eager to read and bear others thoughts, arguments, opinions and views on millions of topics on the earth. May be my blog is not read by anybody other than me!(I have to read it since I created it) Who cares? Even then I am happy.  I have many plans for this new year. Hope I will be able to fulfill them in time.