Funday Times

Book Review
Creatures in & outside My House by Lakmali Gunawardena

“An acrobat in the corner of
my bathroom ceiling
In a one creature trapeze act
Hangs by a thread
Springs up and down
Swings to one wall
then back”

This is the fascinating description of a spider, taken from ‘Creatures in & outside my house’, a slim collection of poems by Ms. Lakmali Gunawardena, “dedicated for children of all ages to respond with their own experiences”. The poems contrast from galloping ratsnakes to whirring beetles to fat caterpillars. They elaborate on the known as well as reveal the unknown sides of these creatures, we seemingly think we know well. To me it was, and to others I am sure it will be a very interesting read.

Reviewed by Binu Jyawardena
Royal College, Colombo

Geckoes
Geckoes have eyes
like beads of burnt gold
They drop their tails
when frightened
Love to eat rice
fed on ekel sticks
grain by fluffy grain
But who has time
to spoil lizards on walls
geckoes can feed themselves

I’ve seen them stalk moths
near the light at night
Crawling slow
Twirling their tails then a quick pounce
the next thing you know
the moth is in the
geckoes mouth
Wings sticking out
the geckoes mouth
too small to hold all that moth
Geckoes can feed themselves.

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