Grey
has been my colour for aeons
Although –
every now and again
a tiny splash of crimson
splatters its welcome
on my rhino-hued hide.
I have hidden behind
a skin, thickened, calloused
made tough with scars.
I have let life abrade my spirit.
What an error.
This isn’t what living is about –
existing, dragging my carcass
from one day, one hour, one minute
to the next.

I open my hazel eyes –

Crimson is joined by purple
transitioning to royal blue and
macaw green.
Peacock shades flutter, flicker and shimmer
The grey dust dissipates and
my rainbow-heart blossoms.
Colour me joyful
Let the bright one in!

Erupt

*****

This week, Abhra is our first-time bartender at dVerse Poetics. I am sure he will do a wonderful job 🙂

Abhra introduces us to a tiny piece of her culture and a very special celebration called Holi – a riotous celebration of colour, love and joy. He has asked us to invite colour into our lives – how does it make us feel about ourselves, about others, how do we open up?

There is a lot about love in her post and her invitation to create our work this week. I’ve taken a bit of a different slant – mainly because right now, I am taking some time to love and look after myself. For me, life at the moment is a bit like what we are instructed to do with those oxygen masks in a plane – I’m putting on my own mask first, before turning to anyone else.

I hope you enjoy my offering this week – as ever, please do let me know, and do go and read the other poets’ work!

*Apologies, Abhra, for getting your gender incorrect in my post last night! As you will see, you are now most definitely a man! I made an assumption, since British names ending in ‘a’ are mostly feminine. Apologies – and I will revisit the dVerse d’Team to swot up on the new team members! In truth, I meant to do that a while ago… and forgot!