They fought on till they reached the mountain top

Rugged the terrain
Treacherous the land
Dense the jungle landscape
Boggy and slimy the sand

But the forces kept on moving
Relentlessly onward
Through scorching heat and drenching rain
The goal spurred them forward

They had lost all track of time
Of hunger, thirst and rest
Every single soldier
Stood up to the test

Straining every muscle
Every nerve and sinew
Each goading on the other
Their courage they did renew

The minutes ticked so gently
The hours were dragging on
The days were slow unbearably
Yet the battle must be won

The hallowed jungle of the East
Where elephant and antelope roamed
Desecrated by terrorist bunkers
They courageously combed

The boom of cannon and artillery
The burst of bombs and mines
The throbbing sound of machine guns
Strewed death among their lines

Hero after hero
Had fallen on the ground
In the hail of deadly bullets
And shrapnel flying around

Then as the sunset gleamed
And the sultry winds stood still
They reached the foot of the mountain
The dreaded Thoppigala hill

But resistance had now crumbled
The terrorist in disarray
Fled the daring onslaught
Or surrendered in shame and dismay

When the sun rose next morning
Clothed in its brilliant best
The lion flag was fluttering
Right on the mountain crest

Freedom had dawned on the East
Its people freed from bondage
Of the insidious foe
And its lust for blood and carnage

By Mario Perera, Kadawatha