Colours

First published in Countercurrents; Translated to Nepali twice, republished in Nepali in Sahityapost and in Sharada, their oldest literary journal

Am I white, black, purple or pink?
 
Names given by mankind
to diverse reflections of light
 
Names given to create
borders between colours
 
Colours earlier that rainbow spelt
Now lead only to bloodshed,
violence, gore, hatred.
 
Where is the love
that Lalon sang?
 
Where is the note
that played on the flute
harmonising
black with white?
 
Where are the piano keys
that together string melodies?
 
Tell me, tell me,