A Flag Without Colours

Also published in Ink Movement’s Mississauga Youth Anthology Vol IV:

Pray for Paris, pray for the parents

Kanye West, Ultralight Beam

A Flag Without Colours

On that day, when red was shed
That day, when hate took its toll
Flags of blue, white, and red were spread
Flags of fire, to reignite the soul
Flags of water, to soothe the dead
Yet, for only three colours love was told
White, yet of surrender not
Risen, yet is justice sought?
What of that green, black, yellow, too?
Why only the red, white, blue?
In far, green, lands, those days have lasted forever
Are those days’ end near, however?

Is only colour important to you?
You burn red but not green, true?
Coloured souls, with colour, come to life anew
These ancient souls of dark are nothing new
Does the voice of love speak to thee?
It speaks not in red, white, blue, green
Or will you become the voice of love?
Will bottom finally be unseparated from above?
As if the only colours in need are those we see
Alas, colour was not enough to save humanity
If for colour thy soul yearns, see thy rapacity
If thy soul of few colours burns, unchain thy capacity

Colours painted where words became wind
Music heard where sounds of voices faltered
I paint my soul, but strokes become thinned
Colours spread, but is the world altered?
No? Then wear that colourful, colourless crest
For when East becomes West,
Love is found in the worst and best
My paints, scarce, my canvas, torn
When flags are colourless, justice is born
My painting, flawed; infinite inside, little external
Unbind thy soul, thy colorful, colourless internal
For where colour is blind, love is eternal

For one hundred thousand years,
Songs of love spoke in languages opposing
Crying only coloured tears
Now the era of colour is closing
Will colourless light be born again?
Will fire, water, black & white unify, then?
Let red, blue, green become one, henceforth
For when South becomes North,
When flags without colours rise
Then begins hate’s demise
When difference is lost ‘twixt servant, sire, lower, higher, water & fire
Then, love abounds in the universe entire

~ MuhammadUmer Amjad