Purple

A newborn babe with twinkling eyes

Brings hopes of clear & bright skies
Mum is ecstatic,

dad is proud
But waiting in his future is a dark cloud

The child is 5, playing with his mates
Picks up a doll & starts combing her plaits
The boys all laugh,

and the elders all jest
This is the first of his many mistakes

“Shy & aloof, even quicker to cry
These aren’t the traits of a ‘normal’ boy”
The teacher yells

and mother stands abashed
The child of 10 just can’t figure out ‘why’

The teasing starts, then the insults & slurs
“Shouldn’t cry, shouldn’t run, that makes it even worse
I’ll keep my mouth shut &

walk the straight line.
Must endure this phase & everything will be fine”

A teenager now, he knows he’s ‘different’
He has feelings, but to their bodies he’s indifferent.
He loves to be with him

but he longs for her too
“What kind of a weirdo have I turned into!?”

Longing for a connection, for this torment to end
He gathers up his courage & confides in a friend
“You like boys,

and are also into girls?
Disgusting! Seems you want the best of both worlds!?”

Surprised & scared, shattered & ashamed,
It dawns upon him that it’s truly started to rain
“Does love demand a pronoun?

Why is life so tough?
Isn’t loving another human just good-enough!?”

His heart is pure but it’s hard to pick a side
Dissecting the dilemma, he finally decides-
“The love I feel inside

is same as yours, & real,
So whether you get it or not, I won't seek your approval”

Eventually,
The storm gives way & brings what it must
A rainbow on the horizon, on a warm comforting gust.
The rainbow brings more choices,

not just pink & blue
So choose your colors with pride & be truly ‘You’.