It takes a village of idiots
flipped like tiddlywinks
But at 96 June degrees
uncooled dignity
However arch,
however cruel the blues —
And the lilac revolution
took sides at last
On its way to today's
rainbow hues.
What stone walls could be
walked through,
All of them inside.
For the people were not real,
So we didn't know there was
a not us. We can't let in
The colors unless
they say they exist.
The thread of gratitude
that prismatically
Folds through the lies,
abuse, bondage
For refusing to stand
for something in this world
Frays on days like these,
shame sold for parts
Must end, so one must be
grateful for the pain
Enough to stand, because it's real
suffering,
To stand opposed, to see clearly,
to be forced
To see oneself, like a forced
holiday from other people
On a humid day in June
where thirsts cannot be slaked.
The thought of rising above
like the vapor
Escapes, seems impossible,
being harmed
And taking action, as if it was
a neutral move
That would not make cops wince
50 years later
When told they couldn't walk
in their blues
At the citizen's local
rainbow parade.
It takes honesty to know
the people you love
Have lied to you
and strength
To still be grateful ...
for what is no longer
Seen and known, a newly minted
variant of freedom.
You want to take the wheel
but sometimes
You have to leap
outside the vehicle
To not be in the death seat
with a rear-view mirror.
But the game allows
a tuck and roll,
To pry oneself of the comfort
of others,
The crash-test dummies
you rely on,
Like those fags at the bar
waiting to be caught,
Prepared to squeal,
programmed to scatter.
