Chiming to the rhythm of blended tongues, My voice sings a melody of diverse roots, Born from countries colliding and colluding, A fusion of languages, a chorus of fruits. Sri Lankan, subcontinental, Dubaian, Aussie, Each English version, a lover in my linguistic bed, Their passion blended, my voice and writing…

A recall of my youth, in a short poem form of a short-lived time in Sri Lanka — Oh, the memories of Bajar days, When life was simple, in so many ways. My friends knew me, through and through, And I knew them, just like they knew. We’d stroll around the neighbourhood, Lost in conversation, feeling good. No worries for the time or day, Just enjoying each other…

Hard lessons growing up — Chapter One — Newton The local rail station was desolate, devoid of the hustle and bustle that usually characterised it during peak hours — the school holidays had thinned out the crowds considerably, leaving only a lone figure amidst the emptiness. Denzil sat in the waiting area, his duffel bag resting at his feet…

The Christmas tree with its tilted star and the fresh scent of bamboo leaves. Toys, old toys, and reused Christmas cards adorn the tree. The crib with baby Jesus is covered in wood shavings — the figures of Mary and Joseph around baby Jesus. The smell of homemade sweets from…

A Day in Middle School in the 1960s: Three Eleven-Year-Olds’ Experience — I felt like time passed very slowly, and every day seemed the same. Then, just like any other day, I said goodbye to my friends and walked to the bus stop to go home. But then, out of nowhere, Rohan appeared with a grin that caught me off-guard. “Well, look…

Two schoolboys find their way into an adult-only cinema. — After school, Suresh and I planned to head to the New Olympia cinema, thrilled about our foray into the world of adult-only movies. “Blow Hot Blow Cold,” an erotic movie boys in school raved about, playing in Colombo, would be my first adult movie. Excited to the bone, Suresh and…

A story of a bunch of boys in grade seven in 1967 — After lunch, we went back to class, and there was this science teacher named Mr Samarajeewa, aka Nidhimathaya, meaning the sleepy one. He came in and sat on his chair but started dozing off instead of teaching us science. When he finally woke up, the boys started laughing at him…

The joys of daily walks — My daily target is twelve thousand steps. That’s how I get my daily dose of adrenaline. Anything over twelve thousand is a bonus, thirteen thousand, fourteen thousand. Less than twelve thousand, I feel unfulfilled. I torture myself thinking of my inadequacy. Those days are rare, thankfully. I cannot be anything…

A day in Tokyo for business — I have been in the air for fourteen hours, from Heathrow to Narita. I am now in a hotel on the 42nd floor in Tokyo. I had a short sleep in this tiny room. I did not sleep enough. Perhaps the jet lag. The service on the British Airways flight…