DROUGHT AND FAMINE by Dr. D. Tennakoon

DROUGHT AND FAMINE   (by Dr. D. Tennakoon)

Fierce rays of the Sun – burn over the earth

Heat risen on the midday -glaring savage to live

Blows of winds with - clouds in dust and sands

Mixed in dirt and rubbish-  burning the rotten plants

All sheds of water dried – no enough for even to drink

Caused to droop the crops - the plants and woods

Waned faces of the-  scared seamy lives

Ferocious disaster waits - for months and years
Fever and hunger - harsh and hush the lives

Brought stern - “wrenches” to hearts
By departing of - sicked and olds 

Evils of ghosts sneak -  over the living souls

Disaster snaps -  all  over the spheres

Dries out the rivers - to sands on the beds

Waters in the creeks - and the earthen tanks

Leaned in gradually - in to the muddy base

Water is the scarce - even for drink

On the beds of the rivers –elders dug the wells

Faund some water – enough for drinks

Digged wells on the - beds of the tanks

Enough water harvested-  enough for weeks

Wails of crying beasts – waves over the woods

Warbling the birds - in gloomy songs

Wilting beasts in- hunger and thirst

 Abased spirits - lay in the shrubs

Decimated  famine - savage of the drought

Before the front door of  - fierce dare of the survival

The drought has wrecked - the lives of the beings

Grains in the bins – come down to the nought

Drought has arrived – with a famine of harsh

Waddled miles and miles – to fetch some water

Laments of the crowds - so deprecated of the mass

Wailing kids for-  meals to eat

Dared mothers to - pick some grains

Wandering wild beasts -  for want of water

Disaster has come to - perish the lives

Scattering the cattle – to feed rotten plants and grass

Wangling across the plains - shrubs and woods

Searching water there -  in the wild ponds

Crazy beasts wandering - over along the rivers

Fetch some water to - stern thirst

Clear in the skys - shining in the high deep
Severe the Sun rays - fluxing on the earth
Warmest the mid-day - harsh to move
Blowing of the dry winds - across over the plains
Coolest the nights - with gloomy of shades
Warning the signs of - drought to ahead

Crashes of the scavengers - to share the vultures

Decaying flesh of the - carcasses of the beasts

Breeze in the winds – in soaring smells

Wangling birds across - the scrubs to trees

Wondering for some things -  to eat and drink

Creaks of theirs are - not so joyous

Waddling in the hamlet - are the elders

Waffling on the Nature to-  cause of decipher the World

Talk on the laments - of the lives in gloomy

Seek to way out of the - stern disaster

Gathered in the centre ground – sight over the road

Hopes of food aid – in the grace of the God

Arrived at the door steps – American food aid

Glory to the God – for looked on our face

Sacks of aid with – foods and drinks

Rice and wheat flour – tins of fish

Butter oil powder milk- cans and cans

Tins of caned meat –boxes of cheese

Thanks to God – enough for two weeks

Over many more months – prevailed the drought

Aid of food relief – passed by the months

Mercy of the World – survived the lives

Thanks to God – Thanks to Americans

Thanks to World – in our hearts

Kept in all our minds – the kindness of the humane

Nature turned back-  to refresh the flourishings
Dark clouds pouring - in abundance the rains
Tanks overflowing - over the creeks
Thrilled farmers - to till the lands
passed the weeks - so in the happiest

Fields are in green - crops and  corns

God looked the face – more food to eat. 
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Dr. D. Tennakoon

Note:

This drought and famine prevailed in 1954 -1956, when, then I was a four year old child.  Later on I came to know more details of the famine and drought that affected seriously to the people of our community in the dry zone ‘Vanni Areas’ in Sri Lanka.  Many older ones and sicked ones were dead in want of food, water and medicine.  I could learn more about this famine and drought from my parents and elders.

Americans have helped Sri Lankans in many occasions.  During 1959 - 1970, threat of malnutrition was widespread among school going age children.  America granted aid scheme to provide wheat flour to Lanka government (then "Ceylon" government) to prepare lunch meal for students.  Each student was given a bun at lunch time.  American aid programme provided milk powder through Care Organization to schools to give each student a pot of milk at lunch time.  This aid programme helped the students conduct studies at schools smoothly.  At the same time, American students donated writing pads to Sri Lankan, (then Ceylonese) students.  Below the each paper of the writing pad, there was a note printed as "American sisu daruwangen Lanka sisu daruwanta thaggaki".
Its meaning was "A gift from students of America to Ceylonese students".

In 1987 June, when Indian Prime minister Rajeew Ghandi attempted to invade through Sri Lanka Territorial boundary across the sea, Ronald Reagan, then president of U.S.A denounced his stand warning Rajeew Ghandi to restrain from making violation of international geopolitics law.  At this movement, Margret Thatcher, then Prime Minister of Great Britain communicated with Rajeew Ghandi, and informed him the British stand of this crisis, and warned Indian Prime Minister not to enter to the Sri Lankan territory.  Meanwhile, the president of Sri Lanka, Mr. J.R. Jayawardana, had ordered the Navy to fire, if Indian troops attempt to enter through Sri Lanka border.  Only two countries in the world, U.S.A and Great Britain,  appeared for securing the peoples' democracy of Sri Lanka.

It was noted that the local so called leftist, fake socialists and socialist wings were enthusiastically waiting to celebrate the invasion of Ghandi.
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