A Subaltern Father Poem by Udaya R. Tennakoon

No one might retell a story.
As it is
Once upon a time, there was.
You are a father.
Among thousands of fathers
You are a father.
A subaltern father
Remnants and signs Still
Having kept as a cradle of a secret
In the mountain, you belong.

'No' and 'less'
Reason for the struggle
Demand for the justice
Your iron arms and strong mind
Even without a word
Smile and gaze at your face
you may have given a message

A century
Like a ghost and a solitary traveler
Your subaltern smile and hope
which have been carrying
and telling the story of injustice

Dear departed subaltern father
Thousands and thousands of eyes
Minds and hearts see these subaltern gestures.