New blossoms in Peoples poetry

The nineteen seventies was a notable era of the Sinhalese poem. During this decade there emerged three poets who stamped their mark in the Sinhala poetic field. They are, Monica Ruwanpathirana, Parakrama Kodituwakku and Buddhadasa Galappatty. The three of them simultaneously brought out their debut collections of poems during the period. It was the beginning of an era generally known as the age of people's poetry.

Buddadasa Galapathi	Parakrama Kodithuwaku

In 1972, Monica brought out "Thahanam Deshayakin" followed by "Obe Yeheliya Eya Gehaniya" in 1975 and "Angulimalage Sihinaya" four years later. Parakrama Kodituwakku had his books of poems "Podi Malliye" and "Akeekaru Putrayekuge Lokaya" published in 1973 and 1974 consecutively. Buddhadasa Galappatty too had three collections of poems "Ketapath Pawra" in 1972, "Para Wasa Etha" in 1974 and "Reginak Henduwaya" in 1976 during this time.

Although some literary critics brand their work as "Poetry of dissent" even today they are still popular among the readers, the attraction the warmth of common man's life exuding from this poetry. Monica's untimely death a couple of years ago created a vacuum in Sri Lankan poetry; nonetheless Parakrama and Buddhi have been carrying on opening new vistas in Sinhala poetry. Two of them have come out with their latest works.

The launch of Parakrama Kodituwakku's ‘Sansareta Mang Asai’ and Buddhadasa Galappatty's ‘Nim Nethi Thunyama’ takes place at Sri Lanka Foundation Auditorium on January 18, Friday between 4.00 and 6.30 p.m. Ratna Sree Wijesinghe and Sunil Gunawardane (poets) are billed to address the gathering on the new books of the two poets. Critic Gamini Sumanasekara will compere the event.

The meeting will be chaired by Susil Siriwardane, who spearheaded the cultural struggle in the seventies by starting the cultural publication "Mawatha". The Peoples Bank will sponsor the event which is open to the public.