Mar 10, 2016 The Daily Post
This is my second offering for the March 8th Daily Post prompt “Contrast.”
Choice
(Daily Prompt, Single-Word Prompt: Contrast)
©March 10th, 2016
By Vijaya Sundaram
Black is the colour* of his true love’s hair
And black’s in the heart of the racist’s stare
White is the colour of the skin he wears
And white is the colour of the black child’s prayers.
Blue is the colour of her eyes so bright
And blue is the bruise he inflicts at night
Green is the colour of Spring in the air
And green is the colour of jealousy’s glare.
Red is the colour of her lips that shine
And red is the colour of the rage that blinds
Yellow is the heart of a rose so sweet
And yellow the fever of cowards’ deceit
Brown is the colour of earth’s sweet grace
And brown are the shirts of those who deface
Purple is the pomp and power of wealth
And purple the heather so full of health.
Opposites, and contrasts are all of these
Choose not the stains, but colors that please.
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* All these years, I used the American spelling “color,” because I taught in a public school. Now, that I am retired, I am reverting to my Indian/English “correct” spelling of “Colour.”
🙂
(Yes, correct is a relative term, but I’ll go with English spelling!)
And yes, my first line is a reference to the traditional Scottish (later Appalachian) folk song, “Black is the Colour of My True Love’s Hair.” Here’s a haunting version by Nina Simone:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJRh7PSaOzI
Here is a moving version by the incomparable Pete Seeger:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIx_9deq4Nw
Tags: #OneWordPrompt, #Original Poetry, #TheDailyPost, Choice, Contrast