Meeting and parting

These separate us:

Long mountain ranges,

a rainbow,

an invisible sun

endlessly falling

winter rain

the proud light

of my dark face.

These unite us:

The heartbeat of waves,

an endless telephone wire

which falls across continents

and oceans,

and, too frightened

to question the future,

a tender heart.

By Sri Lankan poet R. Cheran

(translated by Lakshmi Holmstrom)