Anger against invisible Neo - Colonialism
An academic from Koandavil in Yaalpaanam teaching at the Eastern University in Vantharymoolai, writes poetry in English as well. His first collection of poems titled Waves, Waves and Waves published by the Third Eye Publication, has 30 poems. The book is priced at Rs.100 and is available from Third Eye English Forum at 30, Old Rest House Road, Maddakkalappu (Batticaloa).
The writer's name is Sivagnanam Jeyasankar.Jeyashankar is a lecturer in drama and theatre arts at the Eastern University and is also a theatre and research activist. His preoccupation is in the Thamil Kooththu (traditional theatre). He is himself a performer in theatre presentations. He writes essays as well. Besides these functions he also serves as the coordinator for Third eye Local Knowledge and Skill Activists Group and third Eye English Forum. S. Jeyashankar, while translating creative writing also occupies himself as co-editor of Third Eye Little Magazine in English and Moontravathu Kann Little Magazine in Thamil.
Lankan, Suresh Canagarajah who is a professor of English at City University of New York in his foreword to the book says: 'This book of poems narrates experiences we should all experience. We see people and soldiers caught in the ethnic conflict, aid agencies and the homeless facing the Tsunami, teachers and students grappling with intellectual dependency. The poet records voices. The rest of the world should hear voices of insight from people, deception from local media, condescension from foreign charities, terror from militia and authorities."
Literary editor A.J.Canagaratna (he edited the two volumes of Regi Siriwardena's Writing) calls Jeyashankar's poems 'a voice raised on behalf of our cultural identity'. He adds: It's all the more creditable that one who was educated in Thamil medium should be writing these poems in English…
It is but fitting that Jeyashankar who is deeply concerned about the cultural identities of the Thamils should be very involved in the Kooththu.
Here are some excerpts from Jeyashankar's poems which show his angst:
They always say
The doors are opened
I thrilled to see it
Because
I heard this
From my childhood
In y imagination
It is like
A postmodern construction
Constructed in an empty space
Only with
The opened doors
And alwaysTalking of
'Within the Constitution'
And the solution
To the problem
By the problem itself
They are always talking of
One Country
A Unitary state
But the fourth state
Always Flash
And open our minds
That it's their
fourth state
(Page 51)
Another satirical contribution is:
History registered
But not 'authentically
'Its disgraced chapters
On Aril 2006
Mothers mourn silently
In fear and in shame
On the eve ofThe Thamil New Year 2006
For the fate of their Working daughters
In the NGOs and INGOs
Not because of
The Atrocities
Of the aggressors
But because of their
Very own andInvisible sons
Innocents victimized
In order to domesticate
And the perpetrators
Silently harboured
The new version
Of an age old custom
Manipulated invisibly
But celebrated harshly
(Page 49)
Jeyashankar is clearly anti-colonialist as evidenced from some of his poems. What has he got to say about his poems? "My poetry collection is a spark among the sparks world over, in the process of exposing the invisible threats and dangers in order to create a world for all the species on mother earth".
Those interested in Sri Lankan Literature in English must read this collection as well and form their opinion.
By K.S.Sivakumaran
STANDARD News Paper
Sri Lanka
