import subprocess


def generate(text, font="smblock", filter_effect=None, colors=None):
    command = ["toilet", "-f", font]
    if filter_effect:
        command.extend(["-F", filter_effect])
    if colors:
        # Toilet uses a specific format for color arguments, e.g., --gay or --metal
        # For general colors, you might need to use specific filters or direct color codes.
        # This example focuses on filters that inherently use colors.
        pass  # More complex color handling would be needed for arbitrary colors

    command.append(text)

    try:
        result = subprocess.run(command, capture_output=True, text=True, check=True)
        return result.stdout
    except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
        return f"Error executing toilet: {e}\n{e.stderr}"