Colourful Holi

Green, Saffron, Red and Blue!

These colours cannot hide

the bone dry utensils

in a poor man’s house,

cannot smear the joy

on the faces of orphans

cannot brighten the fate of

ditched widows nor can they

bring smile on my face.

See the children playing

in mud and slush

with dirt on their bodies,

let’s go to the streets

with colours of love and care

let’s lift up the urchins

take them to pools of light,

oceans of Holi love

the eighth colour,
of which the rainbow
would shame into the clouds.

We have our colours
bright and lovely to make
the sun and moon colourful,

This Holi gives us the purpose

let’s not mar it with powders.

Sabita Sahu