The Sri Lankan Kella
I am the woman of my country
The product of ‘culture’, of history of a nation
The result of procreation
The manufactured playground of patriarchy
The battlefield of nationalism
I am the kalu kella, kaella
The baduwa, the patta baelli
The amu wessi, the huththi
I am the lansi kella, the dhemalichchi, the thangachchi
The feminazi, the NGO baelli
The sudhu kakul, the beedi kakul
The penguin, the muslim gaeni
The mohini, the rohini
The gedhara eliya maniyani
The polkatu haenda mita intelligentsini
I am your mother, your sister, your daughter, your lover
Your granny, your aunty, your favourite panty
The vestal virgin, the sis from another miss
I am the hymen reconstruction seeker
The monthly menstrual bleeder
The face of abortion
The space of distortion
You say this is me? Coz you know right?
Patriarchy knows apparently.
Society’s ill, society’s thrill
You know nothing. And you never will.