The Sunday Times Mirror Magazine Section

30th September 2001	Front Page\| News/Comment\| Editorial/Opinion\| Plus\| Business\| Sports\|

100 words - Square Thank you for all your contributions to the '100 word' page on 'Square'. The theme for October is "CLAY". Please send in your contributions before October 20. To: Madhubhashini Rathnayake, C/o The Sunday Times, No. 8, Hunupitiya Cross Road, Colombo 2. Anna Magdalena The picture A square dream Anti-square Base of the square Square Back to square one St. Peter's Square The wedding invitation Silver squares The Jim Reeves Story Mathematics marvel Anna Magdalena In a dingy, square attic, she lived out her life Alone, uncared for - once a much loved wife. He'd loved her the best of his two wives - he'd said. And now, in that dusty, square, squalor - she was dead. She had kept all his music, kept them until cold and hungry - sold them, against her will to the butcher who said he would wrap up his beef. Exhausted, heart broken, she was too tired to weep. But Fate willed that it was found by a kind-hearted Jew Who "gave Christians, the finest music they ever knew!" - Janine - The picture He was short and stout, Just like a square, Our art teacher. "Draw a picture" is all he would say. So I drew. It was big, bright red. He looked at it, It was a big red square. "Draw a colourful picture" Were his next words. So I drew. It too was big, but colourful. Orange, red, black, purple, even gold. But still it was a square. "A picture contains many objects" he said. "Various shapes, colours, but coherent." So I drew. This time there were many, in various colours; big, small, medium, But still they were all squares! Kumudu Jayaratne A square dream Bloodshot eyes gleam wildly beneath knitted brows; the owners locked in one deadly fight to secure their own squares. I wish there were more nice solid rounds in the world, in place of squares, so that there'd be a little more space between our adjoining plots to breathe life in. Deepani Munidasa Anti-square Our lives are invariably dominated by the ubiquitous square or its relation the rectangle. A large number of items we use everyday from handkerchiefs to computer monitors monotonously adhere to the "law of squares". Imagine how exciting the world would be if shapes such as circles, triangles, hearts, free forms were to replace the boring square. A world with fewer squares will undeniably lower the efficiency and standards we have become accustomed to but what the heck, life will be unbelievably fun. And in death, my preference is for an octagonal coffin. Any undertakers interested? Mithraka Fernando Base of the square We are all sides of a square Confronting some with anger Cooperating with some in friendship. To be great is to be a corner, Without enemies. Helping to keep the square upright Connecting the opposites... Dhanushka S. Bandara Square A square Is conventional Staid and practical So unlike The sky-reaching pyramids, that made us immortal It is not a sensual cylinder Nor an enchanted prism. It cannot boast of magic Like Hecate's circles that soared in imagination And made the earth round. It is not even a triangle. But please do remember Not to cut the corners off Those shapes geometrical For squares Keep the world stable And probable.... though boringly reasonable. How they do it Is unexplainable. Sobani Iddamalgoda Back to square one The election is coming again; Crossed squares, covering the walls -Red, Blue, Green and Yellow with desks, chairs, bells and elephants. So it's time to cross the chosen square. So many promises, So many hopes, Lent to us; We, wait crossing our fingers- hoping that the new party will be... better than the last .......! But it seems, each time - after an election only the vicious circle of promises continues, while we are back to square one again.....! Lawanya Wijesekara St. Peter's Square Easter Day at St. Peter's Square, the Vatican. How thrilling. What an experience I, a mere mortal, as if before God Himself. I reflected. Here was I, a Sinhala Buddhist, alongside a Tamil Hindu, he and I on an European panoramic tour, having the rare honour and privilege of actually being in the presence of the Holy Father listening to his benediction in a multitude of languages, my hair standing on edge when he quoted Sinhala. In the context of such unity and amity, IRAs and LTTEs of the world don't square up, do they? Christy G. Wijeratne The wedding invitation In the mail box A snow white envelope Awaited him A wedding invitation Another friend to tie the knot? He smiled to himself. Inside A pretty, square card A happy cupid With his famous magic bow Winked at him. He read the bride's name A familiar name He blinked And read it again Yes, there could be no mistake It was the same special name Which held his heart in thrall But the bridegroom Wasn't him. He stared In disbelief The cherub stared back His golden curls waving in the wind His aplomb deflated He had confused His target Again. Priyangika Lakmali Gamage Silver squares Being mean has saved mankind from extinction. Insecurity breeds extreme meanness - genuine fear for the future, careful economy, or neurotic, nocturnal hoard watching. Thank God for the generous; pity the voluntary poor, or those living in artificial poverty, denying themselves food, clothing, to increase monetary wealth. Life's joys disappear as misery descends. True poverty denounces meanness. But five cents cannot help the poor. Those old heavy, dull brass, or new, light shiny aluminium pieces are symbolic. 'Love of money is the root of all evil.' And those thirty pieces of silver - were they square? Faith Ratnayake The Jim Reeves Story Radio Sri Lanka (95.6 F.M. Colombo) will broadcast the Jim Reeves Story from today September 30. A half hour feature, this programme will continue every Sunday at 4.30 p.m. till the end of the year. The Jim Reeves Story is an authentic and personal in-depth look into the man and his music, and includes Jim's own dialogue, many of his great hit songs and unreleased numbers. Also included are conversations with, and comments by Mary Reeves, and reflections by his fellow artistes. Interviews with Marty Robbins, Waylon Jennings, Dottie West, Chet Atkins, Hank Snow and Eddy Arnold, are also part of the programme. The series will be hosted by Nihal Bhareti, Director English Service, and the production handled by Clifford Basnayake. Mathematics marvel A Sri Lankan child prodigy living in Wandsworth, UK has scooped an A grade in GCSE maths - but is said to be 'disappointed' to have missed an A. Twelve-year-old Diviya Sritheran, was coached at home by her parents for a year before sitting the exam, alongside 16-year-olds across the UK. Now her parents are delighted with the top grade and say they will ask Tiffin Girls' School, Kingston, where Diviya is a pupil, if she can take A-level maths early. Mum Rajini, a budget manager for Wandworth Council, told the Comet newspaper, "Diviya showed a talent for maths at an early age. When she was four years old, she could do all her times tables. She's extremely good at mental arithmetic. She corrects us if we make mistakes in maths - and she's always right. "We are very pleased with the result, although I think Diviya is disappointed not to have got an A. In fact, she had asked for the paper to be remarked, but we decided not to go ahead with that. We are hoping Tiffin will allow her to study for A-level as there isn't much point in sitting through GCSE classes now. We haven't really thought about university yet. In all other respects, she is just like any other 12-year-old girl". Diviya is the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Sritheran. Prior to taking up residence in U.K. Mr. Sritharan was at Jafferjee Brothers, Colombo.
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