By Elaine Elizabeth Jinto, age 14, India.

the scorching sun, burns out
all the bitter feelings as we
gather at the small maidan,**
at the end of our
busy street, a maidan which
is dusty, dirty, dry just
like how we feel after,
the chaotic year we had

the oldest clothes in each
household are donned today by
all, showcasing the chaotic year
that has just gone by

then we drench each other
with fresh water, washing away
all the pain, worries, grief
and sorrow, that has stuck
to us like the burrs
In the grass in our
little maidan, washing away the
last, chaotic year we had

then we grin, feeling much
better and get our Holi,
powdered colors and throw it
at each other and after
we are done with our
simple game, our clothes are
a riot of colour, and we
Are ready for the chaotic
year we will be having.

—Elaine Elizabeth Jinto, age 14, India. She adds: “I am originally from the Indian state of Kerala, but I was born and raised in Bengaluru, Karnataka, and I am going to 9th grade next year. I can speak Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, and Kannada, along with English. I started writing in 3rd grade, beginning with a poem about a playground… I serve as the Editor-in-chief of our school magazine… I understand the impact writing has when it comes to spreading the right messages.

“…my poem is about the Holi festival in India. It is one of my favorite festivals, and it is a time when friends and foes enjoy splashing color and water on each other. It is a time of joy and new beginnings. I love playing Holi with my friends and family and eating pani puri at the end of the day. The poem is 29 lines long and has a challenging restraint. Each line has exactly 5 words.

“I love writing and reading about everyday things that I can relate to. I generally do not follow a strict form in my poems, because I get more room for creativity… Through my poems and prose, I like to give voices to those silent and mundane events that play a huge role in our everyday lives… I am so happy I am getting a chance to share them with the rest of the world.”

Editor’s Notes:
The festival of Holi celebrates the triumph of good over evil and it marks the arrival of spring and the end of winter in India. This year, it was celebrated on March 12th and 13th.
* In India, English words are generally written using British spellings; colour in place of color (in America), for example.
** Maidan: an open space in a city or neighborhood, usually it’s a bare or grassy ground, and it is used for sports, games or large gatherings.