Writing In Black And White

Spectrum could not hold the most potent colour's might,

 Left it to humans to share and care for black and white. 

It all puzzled me in childhood days, 

Board games and its many ways.  

Why black coins in carrom were valued less?  

Why white always made the first move in chess? 

Why blackmail, black sheep, blacklist, be in black books? 

Made me ponder and give deeper looks. 

But it had all been set so adhered to the rule, 

Feeling much like forty acres and the mule. 

It didn't stop there, followed me to the park,

Why happening in India, where it's normal to be dark. 

As a dusky South Indian growing up in North, 

Racist comments by losers came up free and forth.   

Thinking of it as a disadvantage to be born so, 

Rubbed on fairness creams to boost my ego. 

How futile it was I realised soon, 

Gave it up to accept it as Nature's boon. 

Began to love and embrace it with confidence, 

Helped when adversaries saw I didn't care two pence.

Verbal instances though few and far between, 

But hints given were enough to shred one as a teen.  

Grew up stronger from within, 

Taught myself, being born dark not a sin.

Colour cannot stop from shining fair and bright, 

If one arms oneself with some insight. 

Proud from the inner on one's bearing and grooming, 

Inculcate values, need not take up cudgels for proving. 

It's what is on the inside that matters, far more beatific,  

May dissolve all contempt even from the hardest critic. 

Never let others decide for us a role, 

Nor let their judgement ruin our soul. 

Empowering oneself and believing with pride, 

Chases away another's intentions to be snide.

Let us be vocal when we see such an instance     

And instil sense into a misguided mind, without any offence. 

If good sense prevails it is well and good, 

Otherwise move on without putting on your hood. 

High time for us earthlings to realise,

Discriminating on colour has never been wise.

Colour of one's skin is not something one gets to choose,

By being born in another part of world, what is there to lose? 

How would the oppressors feel if happened to be dark,

High time they stopped being a bully on a lark.  

It hurts the victim and their being to the core,       

Being so insensibly vile is akin to bloodless gore. 

Open the mind's eye and look at Nature,

It has all the answers for one's egoistic stature.

Day shines at its prime and drifts paving way for Night,

So too live and let live, be it Black or White. 

How a zebra wears its stripes and carries both with honour, 

Humans too could learn to do so, blessed with either colour. 

Kalaam, Sarojini Naidu, Obama and Oprah Winfrey, 

How they have caught our imagination with a sway!  

Skin colour never stopped them from reaching their stature, 

Not cowed down and went ahead creating their own signature

Our skin colour should never be considered as a plight,  

Should build our personality positively, be it black or white.

One's colour has never determined his or her real identity,  

Learn to live and respect, accepting each other's diversity. 

Like the keys lying side by side in a pianoforte, 

Playing in harmony to produce that melodious note!