By John Reilly
I am entering my twenty-fifth year, I’ve recently become comfortable openly identifying as queer.
Simultaneously our fellow countrymen democratically elected to do away with democracy and let come what may…. And what will likely come is more attacks against us for who and what we are. They’ve already been happening for years.
The tendency in all of human history has been towards liberation and liberatory efforts, towards lighting the darkness around us. We will survive, because together we are indomitable. Just as we always have and always will, we shall overcome. My queer family, we will not be moved nor brought to ground, because our existence is resistance.
I wrote this poem to capture some of my feelings regarding being queer in America right now.
The Longest Night
The sun has begun setting upon our backs.
As the sun sets and inky shadows nip at our heels;
as we hunker down and prepare for another long cold night,
always remember
All That We Have
Is Each Other.
We will build a fire to drive out the darkness and stave off the cold.
We will build a roof to keep the rain and snow from falling upon our brows.
We will build four walls to keep the driving winds from landing upon our backs.
We will build a floor so that none need sleep in the dirt,
a garden so none need go hungry,
a life so that all may live.
As the sun begins to rise again
and the radiance of the day once again suffuses us in her warmth
we will build a world in which we no longer need concern ourselves with fire or shelter.
A world of light and beauty and love.
A world without fear.
My queer family,
the sun will shine on us again some day…
Some day
We Shall Overcome.
Solidarity Forever.