POETRY FOR PEACE

The predecessor of “song-writing” for me, has been “poetry”. From a very early age, not only did I enjoy reading good poetry, I started writing my own. Proudly, after coming to Australia, my poetry has not only been “accepted” Internationally, it has been “published” in a beautiful hard-back volume, “The Tide of Hours” featuring the best poets & poetry of 2003. As a result, I was “invited” to the U.S.of A. many times but, because of an extremely busy “work schedule” it was impossible for me to make it to America.

The following were a trio of “poems” of mine, submitted. One was “Poetry for Peace”(my advice to the World), & the other”Old Ceylon,my Island of dreams”(later composed as a song,with music added)& to begin with, was “The Butterfly”. Please read and hopefully, enjoy :-

“THE BUTTERFLY”

Like the wings of a butterfly, emerging at last
From it’s golden chrysalis, cocoon of the past
Comes the “getting of wisdom”, as I read a good book
Yes, they’re still available, if one cares to look
And watch, from our Planet, beautiful and vast
The wings of a butterfly, emerging at last

Now, see how this butterfly flutters-by, away
It’s life on Earth short, not much time to “stay”
But fulfils it’s reason for existence on Earth
Still, it’s beauty alone, to the beholder, is worth
More than treasures & wealth, mere money can buy
Is this, God’s creation of one butterfly

He’ll flutter his beautiful wings, till a mate
Flies directly below him, and she seals his fate
They “touch wings” together, & then, bye & bye
A golden chrysalis holds a new butterfly
The “moral” of this story, what man should aim for
Is to strive to continue, make love & not war D.K.

“MY ADVICE TO THE WORLD”

Words are inadequate, phrases, too small
A World without peace, is a World, not at all
We live and we die, in a life-span too short
To “not love our neighbour”, as we have been taught
Matters not, in which Country, a person is born
Their homeland’s too precious, by strife, to be torn

Cause war means just one thing, insatiable greed
The desire for power, to own more than we need
Thus, millions have died, with more deaths to come
If we fight senseless battles, that can never be won
It’s high time the great flag of PEACE is unfurled
And that’s why I write, my “Advice to the World.

My “Advice to the World’, is an anthem of Peace
Only God is all-powerful, it’s Him we displease
When we glorify war, with it’s suffering & pain
Would you rather not sing a love-song again
With lyrics unending, music, sweet and true
I dedicate “Advice to the World”, and to you. D.K.

“OLD CEYLON, MY ISLAND OF DREAMS”

Oh, to walk once again
On those sun-kissed white sands
Of that tropical Island shore
To feel the warm clasp
Of friendly brown hands
In welcome, wherever I go
This is my one & dearest wish
Impossible, though it now seems
To revisit the Country
In which I was born
Old Ceylon, my Island of dreams

To wander through Pettah
And it’s milling crowd
I know I’d be happy again
And though I’d be soaked
To the skin, I’d be proud
To stand in her monsoonal rain
To taste once again
Sweet “Kaju-pulung”
And gaze on a “cats-eye” that gleams
To hear Kandyan drums
And those sweet native songs
Of old-Ceylon, my Island of dreams

“CHORUS”(Sung)

These are my memories, sweet precious memories
These are my memories of yore
These are my memories, wonderful memories
I’ll take them with me, when I go

To see the clock-tower
In Colombo Fort
And walk all along
Galle-Face green
To watch all the lasses
Who now seem to sport
The brightest of
Bright colours seen
What I would’nt give
For a walk in the night
Neath a sky full of stars
And moonbeams
To watch a fire-fly try
To spread all it’s light
On old Ceylon, my Island of dreams

To reminisce gently
And, once again meet
All the old friends
I’m longing to see
And hear, once again
The fast rhythmic beat
Of the “Ruhunu Kumari”
As she wends her long way
Thru Lanka’s green Vales
By the rush of meandering streams
It’s a Country, so small
With a beauty, so rare
It’s old Ceylon, my Island of dreams.

“CHORUS” (Repeat)

The years of my child-hood
Were second to none
But have all slipped away
Far too fast
A million memories
I remember each one
My only regret? , they are past
The leopard, the elephant
The swift “flying-fish”
The smart fox & his wily schemes
I see them again, as I now close my eyes
Back in Ceylon, my Island of dreams.

Please Note Edited Lyrics & music to above song by:-

Desmond Kelly.