This Year

I am not queer as in happy and prideful, I am queer as in Fuck You! - I will not be placated!

The river rages, thunder cracks and the skies erupt

The climate is changing, she is changing because we demanded it of her -

She told us she needed to be free and so we stole parts of her heart to lock in slabs of concrete, bottled her tears and told her we do this because we love her.

She raised her voice in defiance;

The skies heard her screams and open her eyes; she wept.

Her tears met the stones of the river bed and her sorrow could not be contained -

What have we done? She asked herself, what have we done? She asked herself, what have I done?

Her tears kept falling, the river extended her hand to hold her heart but she could not find it.

The river grew quiet and still.

We called it peace.

Queer liberation is rooted in our shared grief, sorrow and rage.

I am not queer as in happy; I am queer as in Fuck You.

I am queer as in

Free Palestine.

I am queer as in

All cops are bastards.

I am queer as in

Never again means never again for everyone.

I am queer as in

Domestic violence is domestic terrorism.

I am queer as in

Capitalism is cancer.

I am queer as in

I love your authentic expression of who you are - in your grief, sorrow, rage, compassion, and love.

I cannot be placated, I rage because I love you.

I am but a stone in the river bed.