Poems: on some days when I wake up, the world weighs heavily on me – as it does on most of us from time to time – and I often turn to poetry for solace. 

This poem by Gabrielle Calvocoressi, titled ‘Miss you. Would like to take a walk with you.’ is one that I’ve returned to many times and it reminds me of my grandfather, who loved me so very much.

Do not care if  you just arrive in your skeleton.

Would love to take a walk with you. Miss you.

Would love to make you shrimp saganaki.

Like you used to make me when you were alive.

Love to feed you. Sit over steaming

bowls of pilaf. Little roasted tomatoes

covered in pepper and nutmeg. Miss you.

Would love to walk to the post office with you.

Bring the ghost dog. We’ll walk past the waterfall

and you can tell me about the after.

Wish you. Wish you would come back for a while.

Don’t even need to bring your skin sack. I’ll know

you. I know you will know me even though. I’m

bigger now. Grayer. I’ll show you my garden.

I’d like to hop in the leaf pile you raked but if you

want to jump in? I’ll rake it for you. Miss you

standing looking out at the river with your rake

in your hand. Miss you in your puffy blue jacket.

They’re hip now. I can bring you a new one

if you’ll only come by. Know I told you

it was okay to go. Know I told you

it was okay to leave me. Why’d you believe me?

You always believed me. Wish you would

come back so we could talk about truth.

Miss you. Wish you would walk through my

door. Stare out from the mirror. Come through

the pipes.

Performances: the Chamber Music Society of Colombo (CMSC) is presenting ‘An Evening with the Classical Masters’ on 7 May at 7.30 p.m. at the Lionel Wendt, a concert celebrating the beauty of classical music. 

The performance will feature a programme of works by Mozart, J.S. Bach, J.C. Bach, and Haydn.

According to the CMSC, a highlight of the evening will be Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante, showcasing CMSC’s Principal Second Violinist Sulara Nanayakkara and guest violist Ilana McNamara as soloists. 

The programme will also include Bach’s Third Brandenburg Concerto and works by J.C. Bach and Haydn.

The concert marks the inaugural annual performance in memory of Frances E. Jayasinhe and Herbert W. Peris, made possible through the generous support of Malinee Jayasinghe-Peris, additional funding from Asia Securities, A. Baur & Co., and The Tokyo Cement Group, and in-kind support from The Goethe Institute. 

Tickets are Rs. 7,500, Rs. 5,000, and Rs. 3,000, with free balcony seating available for music students under 21, reaffirming the CMSC’s commitment to nurturing young talent.

Don’t miss this extraordinary evening of classical music.

Plates: Paan Paan recently opened its eighth outlet, taking the taste and goodness of its array of offerings to Battaramulla this time. 

Located at 374, Denzil Kobbekaduwa Road, Battaramulla, the outlet has plenty of parking and can seat 30 people. 

The new store features Paan Paan’s full range of bread, buns, sandwiches, a salad bar, savouries, sweets, fresh juices, and coffee and tea. 

It also has a live sandwich and salad bar where customers can customise their sandwiches and salads to their liking. 

The location has a lovely garden where children can play and the outlet is geared to host outdoor parties for kids and adults alike, which is great news for area residents.

Beautifully designed by an Italian architect with a great deal of attention to functionality and aesthetics, the new Paan Paan outlet exudes tranquility.

It opens every day at 6 a.m., which makes it a great choice for breakfast for those on the way to work or school, and closes at 8 p.m.

When I used to do the school run in the mornings, Paan Paan was a go-to place for me for breakfasts for my daughter, especially given the healthy sandwich options, reasonable prices, and fresh and tasty food. 

Tip: the sandwiches also make for a very satisfying lunch that doesn’t feel heavy or make you yearn for an afternoon nap in the middle of the work day.