The war begins from the Childen’s dreams

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by deebachelvan
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01.
The militants
withdrew from Madhu.

The war begins
from the dreams
of children
who ate poisoned food

In the numberless evacuations
which make
movement difficult
thier kit bags lost
people crowd under trees.

The war hasn’t broken out.

02
The militans have withdrawn
from Iluppaikadavai.
The State’s war
comes
chasing the terrorists
Some children
drenched the whole night
under the trees
have gone to the front

When the children felt
the thrust of war
the exam papers
slipped from their hands
and fluttered away

By the time
the dry plates
and the clothes
had slipped
from the people under the trees
The President’ statement
gloating over his victory
was released

03
The militant’s withdrew
From Vidathalthivu.

The pamphlets
she aircrafts dropped
startled the children
who were dreaming of
roast peanuts.

All should know
about war.

04
The militants withdrew
from Mulankavil
In the security web
appeared pictures
of captured villages
all ravaged.

We saw
beheaded coconut trees
broken cooking pots
abandoned graves
The war had chased everyone
It had entered every nook
05

People were chased away
from Mallavi and Thunukkai

When the war began
to capture a temple
We lost our very hands
that would rise in prayer
nay, we lost our prayers

The state opened refugee camps

The monsoon will come
We wait under the trees
to get drenched
to be washed away

The bunds
of Vavunikkulam
are damaged
Kilinochchi is now
a city of refugees
Pali will rise to inundate the fields.

The war begins
from the dreams
of children
who ate poisoned food.

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20.08.2008
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