December As I Remember Poem by Shirani Rajapakse

Early morning one lazy
day when the sun had not yet woken up
to warm the world Poseidon bounced out of his
dwelling, deep inside
the bosom of the sea, many
fathoms below the surface in a kingdom
he ruled. He stretched
and yawned the night’s sleep away
then came up to catch

a glimpse of sunshine.

He looked around. The boats
bobbed nonchalantly, little specks of bright colours
like flowers strewn on the blue waters.
The tall coconut trees swaying
in the breeze bending, bending to touch
the waves as they crawled to shore. Fish darted
through the waves
in a game of catch me if you can. People
lazed on the beach and
homes after a heavy Christmas feast.

Poseidon stood still

surveying it all. His supporters
accompanied him on his travels to the top
like some local politician who never
moved a finger
without a retinue of several dozen.
They came up all at once
and spread out wide romping with glee
at their unexpected treat, a shopping spree to the
world on earth,
but what that trip cost us that day

cannot ever be measured.

They moved forward fast
and furious running ashore quicker than the lazy
waves taking, taking
everything they saw with no care for those
they met. Homes ransacked, lives
dashed against walls, children
stolen from parents, the old
and aged thrown
on the floors no use to
anyone anymore. Furniture picked up
and sent off to sea, trees uprooted to be planted
down below

in the kingdom

of the waves. A train lifted up to the skies
people and all, busses and cars
charting a new route to sea. The coconut trees gasped
as the waters reached up higher and higher
covering all around
in a watery haze. The sun peeped
out then
hid her face in fear. What was he doing
the great God of the sea? Time up, he returned home
with his followers to share the treats while
the birds flew around chirping a

dirge to their friends.