Allusions

It's not a style and it's not a phase.

They've known for a long time but have yet to live and let be.

They still persecuted us, even set us ablaze.

There was power in letting us know we'd never be free.

We've revolted, we've persisted, we've fought for our rights.

Not everyone could do it though, some just couldn't continue.

The struggle and the constant fights,

To them, equal rights just weren't on the menu.

We would always be less than human.

However, we were strong, we always proudly stood.

Cast out from friends, from family. From religion, from the community.

And yet we were together one and all.

They did everything they could to stop us.

Discharge us, sterilize us, torture, murder.

Yet somehow, no matter what we did, we took charge and went against the standing order.

All around the world, we took to expressing ourselves.

If we didn't take a stand we wouldn't have had a chance.

As time goes and it always does on our lives our stories would be put on shelves,

From the Netherlands being the first to Australia being the most recent.

From the first Asian country, Taiwan, to the most flamboyant European country, France.

Decades to centuries, we stood to make a difference.

And as decades turned to ventures as they always do we did all we could.

With rallies and riots meant to end bitterness,

Protests and activists hoping it would.

From the 1920s when things started to look to the future,

To the retreat during the Red Scare,

We would always make progress only to once again be the loser.

It was almost as easy as taking in air.

But then change once again began to take hold.

People began to take back once stolen power,

The winds of change began to unfold.

No longer would we cower.

Everyday things began to change

What was once was a secretive lifestyle was now an accepted one.

From gay or bi, lesbian or trans, pace or queer, it was an endless range.

Because now words were no longer a loaded gun,

with a few outliers of course.

Love and companionship was flowing

Finally less use of brutal force.

There were less true brutality and more wonderful peace.

It was beautiful and utterly blissful.

In the whole, we were now a part, piece.

We were truthful even full of trust if albeit a bit brittle.

Because we know even if it doesn't last forever,

We still got the chance to be free and live wonderfully liberated.

 

This poem is about: 
Me
My community
Our world

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