nayomi munaweera

Ashland MFA Faculty

TWILIGHT IN SRI LANKA WITH MONSOON COMING

Outside, the dark shapes of bats
like cutouts of night,
swoop languorously through the heavy air.
The mango tree whispers to herself.
In the undergrowth,
Fireflies dance their errant desire.
Incense, exhaust smoke, and night blooming jasmine mingle heady perfume.
Everywhere, foliage, thickly pressed, vies for space.
Vines climb building and tree trunks indiscriminately,
Thrusting leaves, larger than faces, skyward.
The chanting of monks comes long and low over the land.
As the last light shimmers off the palm leaves,
Reflecting silver and shadow.
Night comes slowly.
Clouds gather like mountain ranges.
On the walls, geckos come to feast.
They are lithe curves, outspread fingers, and sad, luminous eyes.
They bob oversized heads in the corners of the room.
Outside, the monsoon comes down.
Loud, like buckets overturned.
People sit next to each other,
conversations halted abruptly,
silent witnesses to monsoon’s grandeur.

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NAYOMI MUNAWEERA'S DEBUT NOVEL, ISLAND OF A THOUSAND MIRRORS, WON THE COMMONWEALTH PRIZE FOR ASIA. IT WAS LONG LISTED FOR THE DUBLIN IMPAC PRIZE AND THE MAN ASIA PRIZE. THE NOVEL WAS ALSO SHORT-LISTED FOR THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA BOOK PRIZE AND THE DSC PRIZE FOR SOUTH ASIAN LITERATURE, AND WAS A TARGET BOOK CLUB SELECTION IN JANUARY 2016. HER SECOND NOVEL WHAT LIES BETWEEN US WAS HAILED AS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING LITERARY RELEASES OF 2016 BY VENUES RANGING FROM BUZZFEED TO ELLE MAGAZINE. SHE WRITES ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF LIVING IN A FEMALE BODY AND HER VOICE HAS BEEN COMPARED TO THAT OF MICHAEL ONDATJEE AND JUMPHA LAHIRI. THE BOOK WAS AWARDED SRI LANKA'S STATE LITERARY AWARD FOR ENGLISH NOVEL. HER SHORT FICTION AND NONFICTION IS ALSO WIDELY AVAILABLE. MORE AT WWW.NAYOMIMUNAWEERA.COM