Koboneela Lyrics

When the koboneela flowers bloom,
give their colour to the rainbow,
even as you left, your warmth stayed near,
even as I left my heart behind with you,
why is it wet, there beneath your eyes,
without your saying a word?

As lovely as a tale of angels,
that is how beautiful love is,
so what need is there, then,
of an ending to our story?
from where did you come to me,
is this a dream?

On a dreamy night deep in cloud,
filling the new-moon dark with a moon,
closing the eyes and smiling,
the heart was full,
from where did you come to me,
is this a dream?

A soft, wondering love song named for the koboneela, the blue water lily. It opens on an image of beauty overflowing: when the koboneela blooms, let it lend its colour to the rainbow. But under the beauty runs a quiet parting: even as they left each other, warmth lingered, hearts were left behind, and the singer notices the wetness beneath her eyes and asks, gently, why the tears, without a word?

The middle marvels at the love itself. It is as lovely as a tale of angels, he says, and from that he draws an almost hopeful conclusion, so what need is there of an ending to our story? The recurring question, from where did you come to me, is this a dream?, captures how unreal such beauty feels, too good to be sure it is even happening.

The close is all dream and moonlight. On a dreamy night deep in cloud, he imagines filling the new-moon dark with a moon, flooding even the darkest, moonless night with light, closing his eyes, smiling, his heart brimming full. And once more, disbelieving: where did you come from, is this a dream? Sung by Sanjula Himala to words by Shalika Dissanayake, composed by Tharindu Damsara, it is a tender, dreamlike love song about a love so beautiful it feels unreal, and too precious to imagine ever ending.