Dr. Kamani Jayasekera, SRI LANKA

WORD POWER

“Words could kill

if not immediately

After they seep into conscience

Absorbed, soaked and digested

To corrode and infest the system”,

She complained in utter misery.

To which in return she was asked,

“So why not understand reality?

Why seek out meanings?

He himself might not have realised

What flowed out of his mouth.

It normally is habit or nature

That contaminates and dictates the flow.”

“More like a scream of varied emotion

Sans sense or intelligence.”

Can a dog meow like a cat?

Or cats bark like dogs?

Or would a human willingly

Disgrace his breeding and

Humiliate his parents in doing so?

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" Nangi cannot do anything

She only does kakki" said Dilan having

observed his new sister for a few days.

"She does not even pee, for

She does not have a peewee!!"

He explained to amused adults

In his sweet ignorance.

Did you know the difference little Seya?

That boys were not the same as girls?

You would have watched your brother

Making water, without much thought

For your mind would not have known

What to hide and what not to.

Mama had not warned you,

Not to let anyone touch you there

For you were just a little toddler

A trusting little bud, just a few years

Out of her womb seeking yet to

snatch an occasional suckle at her nipple.

You would not have understood the pain

or the reason for the unbearable hurt

When ripped, crushed and trampled on.

Did they gag you little girl? For

No one had heard your screams

giving voice to the agony inflicted

Though your eyes would have

recognised and registered.

You would not have even felt the relief

When ultimately the convulsions ended

Your jiggered breath suddenly ceased to be.

VICTIMIZATION

‘But I said "NO" she sobbed

indignant and hurt

'verbally, yes',

yet her physique and expression

communicated a different story'.

'A No is a No,' he had no right

to victimize her person

a punishable offence

a crime against women

did he not have a mother?

a sister maybe?

'Would they have checked her

They would have realized her

she had been responsive,

proving a traitor, betraying

refuting her refusal.

A ready participant, an accomplice

to the deed' he said

With a slight smirk on his lips.

'How dare he! How dare he!! How dare he!!!

She screamed, deeply hurt

by the insult on injury.

'A wild cat' mused the constable

taking notes, yet formality

required inquiry, though

there be no “evidence”

hence there was no option

'Let Justice Prevail!'

Dr. Kamani Jayasekera teaches in the Department of Western Classical Culture at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. She has to her name 7 poetry collections and 5 short story collections, in English. As an academic writer, she has also published 9 books introducing the classics of the Western world in Sinhala. Her contribution in English to this field is on Classical Greek Drama. She has published 3 books on the subject. The next, 'Classical Greek Tragedies on Sri Lankan Stage' is under publication. Prof. Dr. Kamani Jayasekhara is the recipient of the prestigious State Literary Award and Godage Literary Award several times for her writing along with Gold Medals from the University of Kelaniya. In 2018, she was honoured with the Godage Award for her lifetime contribution to English literature. She lives a quiet life with her husband (having lost her dog Komali recently) in a country house ove looking a paddy field and has a crowd of crows and birds as her friends.

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Women, Power & Creativity :: Setu, March 2019