Citizens
of Killinochchi
and Mullaitivu
fled before
our liberators
arrived.

They live
for the moment
in nearby jungle
under a canopy
punctured
by shells.

Some moved
to a safe zone
demarcated
by liberators
where they
have fallen

since to errant fire.
Others ran into
liberators’ arms
and live now
protected in large
barb-wired camps.

January 27, 2009

Part of the Writers Under Siege collection on Groundviews. For more information, click here. For a response to these poems by award winning poet Sivamohan Sumathy, please click here.

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