Holi Voice Poem by AtreyaSarma Uppaluri

[Holi is a vernal festival of colours in India, and this poem was written on the Holi eve on Tuesday, March 10,2009]

Up above the sky…
The Tuesday Moon looked a bit wan
The starry mosaic lost a little of its twinkle
The cerulean sky and
The various clouds
Cast a rather dull look.

Down on the earth…
The verdant flora
And their
Variegated
Plumes and blooms
Were a wee off colour.

Neon whites
Sodium vapour yellows
Amber oranges
Towering reds
Shone a shade feeble.

The lights of colours
Celestial and
Terrestrial both
Found one another blush
But couldn’t fathom
The reason why.

So they invoked
In chorus
The light divine.

“My dear ones!
I’ve drawn
Part of your
Life and light
Just for
A day and night.
Wait until tomorrow.

“Tomorrow
You’ll see me
In gaiety and pomp
Glow gorgeous
Dazzle bright
And sparkle rich.

“All of you
Would smile on me
Smile on yourselves
And smile on everyone.

“You’ll be happy
And regain
The light of your colours
At the end of the day, ”

So promised
The invisible rainbow
That would be
The Holi of Wednesday.

[Mar 10,2009: : Hyderabad-500 056]