I PLAYED HOLI : AN IDYLL

In colours, in their spread,

In the blue, in the red,

In the light, in the shade;

O'er the line, on the plane,

In the dust, in the rain,

In foam, in fizz, in fountain;

In the vein, in the breath,

In the spread of marble teeth,

On the skin and beneath;

By the calm, by the freaks,

On the soul, on the cheeks,

By the chawls, by the bricks;

In the glee, in full heart,

With love, with peace, with art,

No creed, no class, no caste;

With the friends, with the foes,

With the rich, with the lows,

With men, women, far or close;

Did revel, did reveal,

All the good, none evil,

Down the road, in gay will;

By virtues, by morals,

In the bright pictorial, 

In the holiness of 'gulal';

I did play with fetish,

For my God, in His bliss :

That is me, that's my wish!

                         N P Samal

              Poet, author, academic