Lanka oh Lanka,

Though art so beautiful,

It’s not that I don’t know you,

But I feel I am only now beginning to discover the true beauty of you!

My observations may be a little naive, for I awakened to the realities of life far far away from you,

Thankfully, the animosities that arose then and stuck, have nothing much to do with you,

What I recall of this place consists of a mirage of fragmented images, textures, full of warmth, borne by the innate innocence and naivety of youth,

To the holder of these fragmented thoughts, standing under the shade of a mighty jack fruit tree (as he does now), the reality seems not too far from those long-remembered truths;

Leave this young adult to his momentary escapes, and the child that he was to his abiding memories;

Away from the full harsh scheme of this place,

For we all need to hope of a better place and a better time to keep a firm footing at times,

It is at the very core of what it means to be you and I!