A mix of the light and the dark, the subtle and the transparent
Lalitha Wirasinghe’s maiden collection of poetry with 47 poems strikes a note of hope with its title. Written in simple English which make them transparently clear, the poems cover a wide range of themes and issues – contemporary and thought provoking. They touch on the everyday, homely events as well as the natural landscape – from the beauty of a moonlit night to the mystery of shades from skin colour to shades of meaning. Her familiar environment Kandy, occurs many a time.
The human landscape in Sri Lanka occupies the longest space in her poems that dwell mostly on the tragic young men who meet death on power lines, on battle lines and women abused in the streets. The war and its trauma is recalled. Also the violence that took its toll. She responds to the fate of the young with deep empathy while at the same time abhorring the makers of violence. The poem Tigers is a direct condemnation of such violence.
The everyday, the trifling, are transformed into worthwhile experiences. The poem ‘Two women’ is a strong example of how she opens out the embedded psychology of a mother and daughter conflict.
“And each thinks in sad silence when will this silence end.” With casual succinctness she presents the charged situation.
The political landscape of Sri Lanka figures large in her poems. The death of a political leader due to violence draws her sympathy. But the overall atmosphere of politics is dark and grim, with its corruption and abuse. ‘Punchi Chandaya’ conveys very precisely the mayhem created during election time.
Mrs. Wirasinghe’s handling of issues is generally sympathetic. She is careful not to apportion blame but there are lines of harsh criticism. The strikes in the hospitals are dealt with sharp irons. Doctor’s Orders and Union Action demonstrate her capacity to handle satire.
While the poems reflect Mrs. Wirasinghe’s deep engagement with issues in our country, there are light-hearted poems to entertain the reader such as ‘Bus travel’ and ‘The Duke of Kent’.
The witches brew of Sri Lankan politics is highlighted in many of her poems.
The Phoenix Rises From Its Ashes is a mix of the light and the dark, of the subtle and the transparent that makes it a worthwhile read.
At a time where poetry seems to be moving out of literary spaces Mrs. Wirasinghe seems to have moved it to the centre.