Blue

My first memory of blue was
the blue print of my father's palm
on my mother's milk white cheek
It was the structure
on which their marriage was built
Abuse

Art class taught me
Primary colours add up to make secondary colours
But I never knew a black belt,
brown skin
and red blood could paint
navy blue clots
all over my brother's back
Not a patch of brown canvas visible

Half my life
Instructed to be more pink than blue
Because
respect
privilege
honour
power
is for blue

understanding
compromising
coyness
feminine
is for pink

Forced to be pink
i couldnt help
but be blue

But
It is only attractive
When it is, the colour of a woman's eye
Not her thoughts

I carry a heart
Dyed black and blue

blue is pain
But it is also my favourite colour
Because it is
Parachute oil and granny’s head massage
It is the colour which my eyes perceive
when they see the sky
It is colour of the house Ravenclaw
It is my patronus
Because
It is the colour of ink

-Mariyam Saigal