The Strange Little Fly - By Indeevari de Silva

Written By: Indeevari de Silva

Category: Poetry

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

Indeevari de Silva presents "The Strange Little Fly," a poetic submission to the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. In this collection, Indeevari deftly navigates themes of introspection, emotional growth, and personal reflection. Through evocative imagery and a narrative style, she captures the nuanced interplay between light and shadow in the human experience. This submission is part of the poetry category, showcasing her ability to weave complex emotions into compelling literary works.

About the Work

Indeevari de Silva's "The Strange Little Fly" explores the intricacies of personal struggle and enlightenment. Her use of vivid imagery creates a poignant atmosphere, evoking both the burdens and the eventual liberation from them. The tone shifts from somber introspection to a hopeful resolution, highlighting the transformative power of self-realization. Her narrative style, rich with metaphor and symbolism, invites readers to reflect on their own journeys of growth and understanding.

The Strange Little Fly

Original Submission by Indeevari de Silva

The strange little fly

In the dark abyss of my happy life

Lived a small little fly with a little strife

It stayed by my side through tougher days

And grew thrice its size in a rougher place

It buzzed like a bee in a warm honey hive

And stung like a thorn in a rose garden dive

Soon it got too big to be easily stoned

and it took over happiness and made it its own

Soon the words that it said made the sky look ill

And it made me quite hurt and tumble down a hill

When it watched me from high I felt quite small

Like the little fly that lived by me that fall

Soon I realised it was quite too late

I lost sight of everything that was so great

At last, it disappeared one cold night

And I finally felt the warm beautiful light

An unwritten letter to him

Although you were,

My four-leafed clover in my garden of weeds,

You were also: the thorns of my dehi tree

The sour raw mango from my neighbour's garden

And the perpetual squirrel nest in the door hinge

why did you self-sabotage like a lost honey bee?

Why are you taunting me so?

What was I even thinking?

Attracted to you like a fly to my mother's rice and curry.

It must have been a heavy plate of kiribath and katta sambola

that calorie surplus must have affected my brain in some way

Why have you made me turn to Reddit comments for comfort?

Wasn't making me chatgpt my situation bad enough?

you were the delusional one, like the old man down the road

imagining us beyond what we already had in our hands

It was You who created the pain and then left me in it

fluttering helplessly like the fly that fell into your morning tea

Your decisions are too fast for my brain to understand

so I lost you, like a debit card swallowed by an ATM

it took me quite a while before i realised:

You are as flimsy as your phone's signal

As convoluted as the Colombo traffic

as frustrating as YouTube ads

And as boring as a lecturer reading slides

I always wonder, Was I the same to you?

Still, i can't complain because after all

I was attracted to you like a moth to Nanda's budhu pahana

Like the geckos that died on my sister's brownies

And a fruit fly to that rotting banana in my kitchen,

was it your perfume? The one that went behind you?

because it definitely wasn't your sense of style.

I agree when everyone says, you ARE special

You are funny, like a drunk uncle at his niece's wedding

You are wise, like an old turtle on steroids

You are confident, like an eagle watching its prey

And you are as kind as an old maid tending her garden

But even stars can fade away.

So after everything

When your spirit, which used to carry a room to its feet

Imprinted itself in the clouds of my life

Like A wind that sang the nidikumba to sleep

I realised that you will no longer be etched into the floor of my actions

Like a moonstone at the entrance to me

The coffin

I used to watch you nail your coffin:

watched you cut the wooden boards

with your strong jar-opening arms

As you measured them with perfection

Leaving room for the soft cushion interior.

When you were measuring,

I would bring you

Snacks and an occasional fag

So you wouldn't starve

or forget to take a break

As you made your coffin.

It never occurred to me

why or how or when,

I usually just listened to you,

Because you were always willing to tell me.

After all, I was always too scared to ask.

One day when I came to you with nails

You smiled at me and made room

as i tried to hammer the boards

with the same precision

Right next to you.

Occasionally you'd stop; to watch me struggling

And sometimes I'd go get snacks.

It was after the coffin was made

With its soft cushioned interior

and beautiful artisan finish

I realised we worked too hard too soon

Faster in our combined efforts.

It felt like our lives just passed us

While we were too occupied

Making a coffin fit to perfection

So it can be laid below the earth

English, your love

I know you learnt to read and write in a language you cannot relate to. You were taught to prioritise something you never spoke at home. even after countless nights of textbooks and dramas, Your accent always betrayed you and the raised eyebrows and muffled laughs still haunt you in your dreams. You realised People trusted you better in your mother tongue

English was the stranger that stalked you. She followed you to all your lectures, Watched you while you slept, Spoke to you in your dreams and Held you back from opportunities. yet, you pine for her like a lost puppy; trust me, she doesn't care for you.

I remember one time you tried to flaunt your skills to me, but my reaction didn't please you. You were like a fish trying to breathe above water. I didn't understand you, and your stomach lurched. You failed to fool me. English was haunting you.

Until one day, In your broken English you told a confused foreigner where to go and he thanked you so profoundly, as if he knew of your effort. I have never seen you beam like that, so accomplished. It's the simple things, I thought, but truly it was not simple at all.

I knewbit was the results of you binging conversations you didn't understandand learning to pronounce after listening intently to us ranting about the latest shows. You hate thatI've noticed. You were jealous of me; you were her secret admirer, and you thought I was her lover.

I hope you know; English used to live with me through most of my life. She went to school with me; she lived rent-free in my thoughts. She even played with me when my sister refused.

She was my most reliable source of feelings, although I hated her for everything she did to you.

English was my imaginary friend. She was so talented in making me forget every other language, lest i forget her. Sinhala, her step-sister, was feeble and dying in my mind before i met you. I was jealous of you. All the right words rolled off your tongue and it was soothing to listen.

So when I listened carefully to your poetic conversations and consciously over enunciated my R's and T’s, I always wondered: when I pretend that Sinhala is all I speak, can you hear the English in my voice? I know you try to overlook my stuttering, but when you reply to me in English, my heart drops. I know I failed to fool you. English is haunting me too.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar is a prestigious platform celebrating diverse voices in the literary world. It invites writers globally to share their unique perspectives and creative expressions. This competition serves as a beacon for emerging talents, offering an opportunity to engage with an international audience and contribute to the rich tapestry of contemporary literature.

We extend our deepest gratitude to Indeevari de Silva for sharing "The Strange Little Fly" with us as part of the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Her insightful exploration of personal transformation resonates deeply, and we are honored to feature her work. We look forward to witnessing her continued journey in the world of poetry and creative writing.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.