Ceylon, the resplendent island
t's been almost 20 years since I visited this rare pearl of the Indian Ocean,
Already she was no longer called Ceylon but she had taken the name of Sri Lanka,
We did not linger in the capital Colombo amid the daily hubbub,
People in constant agitation on foot, by bike or rickshaw indelicates.
In your royal capitals, we will find the tranquility of the cities of kings,
Where the majestic elephants walk guided by their patient mahout,
Placids animals advancing in the streets with a heavy and nonchalant step,
Caparisoned with gold, on Kandy's side, bearing the relic of the Buddha's tooth.
In the heart of the mountains, tea has been meticulously cultivated for decades,
On terraces with pretty mosaics of green variators,
Leaves picked by Tamil women with an enchanting smile,
The streets perfume the frangipani and stalls emit curry smells.
Its beautiful beaches of fine white sand bordered by huge coconut trees,
Make it a destination leaving a delightful impression for this mesmerizing island,
But Sinhalese Buddhists and Hindu Tamils have long warred,
This big, teardrop-shaped island is called "shining tear".
As the Christian world celebrated Easter, the country was rocked by explosions,
On April 20, 2019, kamikazes hit churches and hotels with precision,
In total more than 250 deaths and 500 people hospitalized for the most part Sri Lankan,
These attacks are attributed by the authorities to the jihadists of the Islamic State on the lookout.
L’ARIÉ….JOIE