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Colours – Mini Inquiry Poem

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Silent chaos engulfed the nights
But she found solace in several seconds of stolen time
When reality would cease banging upon the walls of consciousness
She welcomed intoxicating paint fumes, taking root in her lungs
And poetry sounded of siren songs, dancing across her tongue

Canvas walls decorated with acrylic colour,
Sheets of ink and mad scribbles held sway
Seconds of a pure painted arcadia
But pretence of consciousness would soon collapse
Back to the wretched world wasting away

Unparalleled art,
With the gods as her witnesses
She shares only with the stars
Working for the future
She slaves during the day
Until change comes
In Pandora’s box is where her passion will lay

Whether faded to black or
Vast blue, spattered with scattered diamond dust
Written in the stars is the heaven that saints and poets have imagined
But trust that their words will find a home in the world again
Under starlight, in the world that had since long been called home

Rationale

‘Colours’ by Adelyn Ho is a free verse poem that takes the reader to a land of chaos, representing the future of the human condition. Art and poetry are saviours for the protagonist, bringing her moments of creative freedom. Her art isn’t welcomed in the land of chaos either, so she keeps it as a secret and leaves them in her safe haven instead. It’s a safe place in the sky and in the stars, where the harshness of reality and the arrogance of humans can’t touch either her or her art. I believe the entire poem is a metaphor and states that even in such a corrupt world, finding the strength to stay hopeful, as well as trusting in art and literature can lead to success in future endeavours. Fighting for her future and the overall theme of hope is also shown in the video, A Message For All Of Humanity by Charlie Chaplin.

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