P.B. ALWIS PERERA

His activities as a poet saw the rise of a reading public with a different taste. A large section of the people, especially the young men and women developed an interest in reading poetry.

P.B Alwis Perera was born at Palliyawatte, Kollupitiya on 03 March 1917. His father was P.B. Jemis Perera. He had his primary education at Wesleyan Methodist school. Though later he was admitted to St. Anthony’s he could not pursue his education beyond the fifth standard.

The family difficulties compelled him to look for employment and so he joined a newspaper firm as a minor employment and so he joined a newspaper firm as a minor employee. He however saw to it that for him, education was continuing process. Reading interested him. Through self-study he gained knowledge of a variety of subjects, particularly language, literature and arts.

The year, 1944, in fact marked the beginning of his literary career. A poem he had written won the first prize at a poetry Competition organized by the Sinhalese Society of the University of Ceylon.

Thereafter, he was a regular contributor of poems to newspaper and journals. In the meantime, he became the Editor in chief of the newspaper HELADIVA. His popularity increased with the start of Dedunna, monthly journal of poems. Almost all contemporary Colombo era poets contributed to this journal. The journal became very popular with the younger people. Eventually he was elected President of the Aganuwar Tharuna Kavi Samajaya, an organization of Colombo era poets. He married Indra Kumaranayake poetess.

He has written several collection of verse compositions. Ukdandu Dunna, Soba Dahama and Minipana were the more popular. The other works include Budu Madura, Rantaliya, Vedanava, Ape Hatana and Miya Giya Kirilliya.

Alwis Perera’s language is simple. Deviating from the tradition of classical poetry he always looked for new themes, new similes and metaphors. He was not much concerned about the convention of classical poetry he always looked for new themes, new similes and metaphors. He was not much concerned about the convention rules of poetry.

Death overpowered him on 31 August 1966.