
For many years,
I was forced,
to sit quietly by,
and be subjected to the hateful
words and acts
of self-righteous,
religious bigots.
Imagine feeling
out-numbered,
overwhelmed,
alone,
outcast,
and separated from God,
all because you
knew that you were different.
Imagine hiding
who and what you are,
your friendships,
your relationships,
and who you date,
all to avoid the same fate
as Matthew Shephard
and others whose names
were forever wiped-off life's slate.
Imagine being
physically, emotionally,
psychologically,
and even sexually abused
by the some of the
same straight religious bigots
who persecuted you out of hate.
Imagine having to
keep all the abuse,
all the feelings,
and all their filthy secrets,
hidden inside your head,
unable to tell anyone
for fear of your ending up dead.
Apparently,
that's the way it goes;
those unable to protect themselves
always end up as prey to the predatory throes.
Apparently,
those of us without voices
are never heard by the majority;
we have few choices.
Apparently,
real abusers become bold,
they deny our rights
to prevent our truths from being told.
Is it okay
to abuse someone
because they are gay?
Do you know how hard
it is to hear that
people who are queer are sexual predators?
When all the while,
having to smile,
and act like you
were not sexually abused
by the very straight people
who preach the hate?
If you are lucky,
you somehow learn
to love yourself.
You learn to fight back.
You learn to stand up
for yourself and others like you.
You learn to speak the truth,
and, like this poem, write the truth,
even when the religious bigots
don't want to hear it.
Speaking and writing the truth is easy;
you KNOW the truth,
because you LIVED it.
But, some of us
aren't so lucky.
Some of us
are hurting so badly
on the inside
from all the abuse
held in our heads, sadly
that we tum
to alcohol, drugs or sex
to numb our pain.
Many of us
take that abusive stain
to our young graves.
You'd think that,
after having been injured
by so many straight,
religious bigots,
that I'd be filled with hate.
Honestly, I was for a while
during my younger years.
But I had to let that go
long ago, or else my soul
would have died a hateful fate.
No, I don't hate
religious bigots
who happen
to be also straight.
Nor will I ever
lift a hand to
tempt anger's fate.
That's not who I am.
But I will stand
with my LGBT
brothers and sisters
hand in hand,
and fight for rights
guaranteed to all
people of this land.
For I will not practice hate.
For humanity's sake,
Society needs to wake,
Help us stop the homophobic insanity
our lives are not a mistake...