Free will is the gift we are given
James Joyce, may I call you Jim?
We have to know which door to open
And to whom to offer our arms and our heart

So many forces conspire and bear down on us
Wouldn’t you say?
History crushes, and curiosity kills.
We leave the window open and the light on
For people who do not understand who we are
Or what we are giving

But you showed us how to use all the hours in one day
And see the diurnal streets we walk in a new way
We stream our consciousness, we channel, we dream
We sing out the words we had kept quiet within
When we say yes, we give our consent
Not just to a person but to all of life, and to living

We say: Yes, I will, YES
We allow the close up, and the kiss
Thank you, for this:
For giving and forgiving.

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Devika Brendon is an academic, teacher, editor, reviewer and writer. Her journalistic pieces on contemporary culture have been widely published in both print and digital media, and her academic articles, poetry and short stories have been published in Australia, India, the U.K., Europe, and the U.S.A, including Quadrant Magazine and The Hopkins Review. Her first novel has recently been published in Sri Lanka by Jam Fruit Tree Publications. Devika is Reviews Editor at Verity La, Executive Editor of Glitterati Journal, and Content Editor for New Ceylon Writing.

2026 Bloomsday Supplement - Table of Contents