Sunday Times 2
A wake-up call in lyrics on contemporary socio-political issues
View(s):
Author Lynn Ockersz
Reviewed by W.I. Siriweera
Lynn Ockersz has had an illustrious career as chief editor and associate editor of several national newspapers, Director of Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies and as Press Fellow of Wolfson College, University of Cambridge. But, the back cover of this book of poems does not refer to the profile of the author as usually found in books. Instead its space is utilised to explain what poetry is? According to Lynn, the poetry could be described as a wake-up call to the condition of the powerless everywhere. Although, now the term ‘Socialist Realism’ is not widely used in literature, most of the 104 poems in this valuable book can be called lyrics on contemporary social and political issues.
Lynn Ockersz’s prose writings are mainly on international politics and international relations. Every Thursday, a substantial portion of the editorial page of the “Island” is devoted to his refreshing contributions on global political developments. But, his hobby seems to be evocative and creative use of language outside scientific writing. He has chosen poetry as medium of expression for this purpose.
Even some of the best-known thinkers and philosophers such as Karl Marx whose forte was scientific writing have ventured into poetry as a leisure activity. Though a consummated materialist, Karl Marx’s artistic inspirations were reflected in the dedicatory poems he wrote to his father and poems expressing his platonic love to his fiancée Jenny. No wonder then, a Sri Lankan political analyst – Lynn Ockersz – strives to mark off a strong social and political awareness through poetry as a most insightful mirror to local and global realities. His poetry in this volume stirs consciences of people and prompts them to alleviate the suffering of the deprived and repressed through positive, peaceful and constructive social action.
Unlike Marx, he finds it difficult to entirely separate the earthly from the spiritual or the worldly from religious. He believes in the Christian tenet that ‘God’s hand is in history’. The poem ‘Divine Revenge’ reads
‘The Lord Most High’,
Will be pained without end,
By this unholy quick-fix,
Of covering power politics,
With a ‘religious zeal’,
Which, of men makes fanatics,
Because He Made Man in His Image,
And wished Man to be a Peace-maker,
And not a ‘fallen creature’,
Of criminal intent
Poetic strength in this book is its economic and evocative use of language. The poems are devoid of romantic fantasy. Superfluities of language and verbal excesses have been skillfully avoided by the author. His poems are simple and transparent in expression and meaning. ‘Love at a time of Covid-19’ is just one example of the above.
COVID-19, the world’s number one torment,
Is so far the deadliest of enemies,
And its weapons are a tantalizing spread,
Coupled with a Devilish stealth….
It puts everything human to the test;
Intelligence, endurance, togetherness….
Prithee Human, keep intact in particular the last;
Come what may, reach out to the Other;
And let no mask stall your humane touch.
The value of this collection of poems has been enhanced by beautiful illustrative cartoons by Jeffery Kelaart De Silva and Udaya Wimalasiri. While congratulating Lynn for providing a long list of excellent poems, Darshana Publishers of Battaramulla should also be appreciated for the attractive layout and printing of this important collection of poems.
Book facts
The April 21st Consensus: A Collection of Poems
Author : Lynn Ockersz
Publisher: Darshana Publishers