The blue-collar colour

My sea isn’t blue, 
i pretend it is
the same when i see you, 
pretend not to 
Each time, 
i beat you blue. 

But you are there 
i know because 
my food gets cooked 
my rubbish gets cleared 
my bathroom sparkles. 
At times when I sit down 
& nothing occupies my mind, 
absolutely nothing 
That’s when I think of you

The road you took 
you'd be leaving 
your green 
because blue 
doesn't give a choice.
You were told
at my end 
it is blue 
even though
you knew 
it would be grey 

Each day you
walk bus train bus walk 
take the stained elevator
to my pastel-coloured home 
to Bone China & crystal cutlery 
to Cashmere & linen clothes 
to tanned skin tones & 
to turquoise tiled toilets 
all you see is grey

grey is me 
as i say 
dyaan se 
mehnga hai 
kharab ho jayega
toot sakta hai 
you'd listen 
do your thing 
turn 
grey to green
while i whine 
life is so grey

Now I've learned to speak 
in soft butterfly tones 
add aap & please, 
even sit together & YouTube
how to make soup 
still when its time 
over non-stick red you swirl 
I sip it in off silver spoons
if you are lucky 
you get remains
in a used tiffin box
in laughable white.
Each time 
 

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