Poetry. "These poems both about those who died in, and those who survived, the Tsunami of 2004 memorialize with anger and beauty one of the most devastating tragedies of our time. In its largeness of heart, bold artistry, and admirable desire to bear witness, Amirthanayagam's consoling, life-affirming and triumphant volume reminds me of Neruda's great Residence on Earth"--Jaime Manrique. Indran Amirthanayagam is a poet, essayist and translator in English, Spanish and French. His first book The Elephants of Reckoning won the 1994 Paterson Poetry Prize. The poem "Juarez" won the Juegos Florales of Guaymas, Sonora in 2006. Other books include El Infierno de los Pajaros, El Hombre que Recoge Nidos, and Ceylon R.I.P. Amirthanayagam has been a NYFA fellow in poetry as well as a grantee of the U.S./Mexico Fund for Culture for his translations. He was born in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). He is a member of the United States Foreign Serivce. This is his second book to be published in the United States.

About the Author
Indran Amirthanayagam was born in 1960 in Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). When eight years old, he moved with his family to London, and at 14 to Honolulu, Hawaii. He began writing in Honolulu. Indran Amirthanayagam's The Elephants Of Reckoning won the 1994 Paterson Poetry Prize. He writes poetry and essays in English, Spanish and French. He is a diplomat serving for the United States of America, based currently in Vancouver, Canada.