Word and Violin–Spoken Word Poems
by Pireeni Sundaralingam with accompaniment by Colm O’Riain
LETTERS FROM EXILE
These are the letters I leave behind me,
dull lines written for the censor’s eye.
There are no stories here, only headlines,
statements of fact, shielding the truth.
But how can I write my life without politics
when each word placed is part of an equation?
Talk of my income will be translated
into an exact amount for blackmail or ransom;
Talk of our culture will be interpreted
as a covert call to arms.
Tags: Colm O'Riain, Pireeni Sundaralingam