ROADS

Roads without names

The boy, almost a man, reaching the end of his long, arduous journey, stood looking at the two roads in front of him.

The gravel one, a mere strip of cleared jungle, led to the camp and the fight for freedom, rigorous training, killings, glory and death.

The other road, exhibiting remnants of the old asphalt, led to the checkpoint and town life, detention and discrimination and petty joys.

He took out his last coin from his pocket, muttered something to himself and tossed it into the air.

Mahesh Raajasuriya

The right road

My first road, Rampart Street circling Galle Fort - was just outside our doorstep at No 9. Crossing it was a feat, albeit cars were few and far between. I went back forty years later and crossed it in two strides.

Crossing Galle Road in Colombo the first time, I drew courage from a peddler. After two steps I ran back to the pavement, my guide close at my heels!

I've crossed many roads since then, but have taken the wrong road at a crossroad. Ere autumn closes and winter sets in, there's a road I must take - the right road for me.

Thilaha Yoganathan

Which road to take?

Wise men and pessimists say,
"When you come to a junction,
always take the untrodden road.
Always take the difficult, rough looking, unpaved road.
For then only will you be rewarded.
Because if you suffer at first,
you will find happiness afterwards".
Well, I wonder,
What if I take
The smooth, carpeted, glossy comfortable looking road?
Wouldn't it be possible
That it would prove to be
An exception,
Wouldn't it be possible
That an unconventional angel
Will reward people like me
Who take the easy road?

Subha Ranaweera

Way to.......

"Hey! Which way is heaven?" At last..... he found a human.
"What?"
HEAVEN
"Go to Hell!" the human screamed.
Hmmm...... "Which way could be the hell?"

Wasana Gunawardena

Haiku

Watertown, New York snow storm; Road becoming rear lights just in front of you.

Rohini Gooneratne Cooray

Conversation

"There used to be a garden there, a long time ago," said the old Mara tree to the newly-planted Araliya tree. He sighed in remembrance. "And what a garden it was! Flowers, fresh blossoms, as far your eye could see! Oh, and the number of trees that grew there, shading and cooling the vicinity..... And the owners used to tend the place very lovingly, too....."

"What happened to it?" asked the naive Araliya, wide-eyed at the imagined splendour.

The other tree spoke bitterly.

"They destroyed it, and built that rotten road instead..... I believe they call it development!"

Coomerene Rodrigo

Woman

Admire me
I am beautiful
My road
doesn't wind its way back
Crave,
I will make you.
I will torment you
I will have you.
I am a woman.
Drink from my cup, my love,
My road,
Doesn't wind its way back.

Tara Kumarasinghe

The progressive road

The road was cracked ached for water
Pot- holes gasped like wounds in chapped skin.
A humid, spicy wind blew dust across its winding width,
As thirsty men drove cattle by;
Its arid, painful stillness disguised a service of twenty years
Instead of reward, the jungle, like a descending cloud, had crept in.
Construction workers came; hard hats and drills,
cement and tar.
The jungle was drowned by a silken highway,
An elegant, streamlined, lamplit road
Straight, narrow and proud.
Then came the buildings and the traffic
Followed by fumes and choking men in suits.......

Kitty Parkes

The common road

In the city, in a web of roads, I saw people rushing along different roads to different destinations for different purposes.

But all of them are sharing one common road of life to the destination of death.

Nandalal Nanayakkara

A choice of roads

There they stood before her,
Forking their own ways,
Carving their own destinies,
The choice, her very own
One, oh so resplendent,
Paved with promise,
Radiating with glamour,
Sidewalks decked with foliage.
The other, despondent,
A dirt track of despair,
Unkempt, broken and wild,
Ravaged by stinging nettles and thorns.
One exuding pomposity,
Such pride,
Arrogantly exigent,
Its travellers taken for granted,
The other so humble,
Pleading with fervour strong,
For love , attention and care,
Cherished are its meagre wayfarers.
Her mind made,
She turns away from lavish promises,
To the unpretentious care
Of that forlorn dirt track.

Roshini Galappatti

Destiny

The roads are long and the path is divided
And dust covers its surface.
A single person stands
Alone, lost, afraid,
Unsure of which path to choose
He looks for some guidance,
For a clue, to show him the way,
Then undecided, he chooses one
He begins a long journey
On one road
That leads him
To where he is destined to go.
Shashi Ellawala
Burning roads
Roads were not roads
But.......
Burning cemeteries
For the youth of our country
At one time......

Kishani

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