Homogeneous.

They often called me yellow—
marigold and mustard bellied.
Only my fear was ever apparent,
even after naked wars against the winter.

The cold burned like waxen candles—
it left my jaundiced skin searing all summer.

Gayness was a crisply-cool deathwish that
rippled right below the surface,
until I realized all I could do
was live my truth in earnest.

And in spite of my reserved nature—
this itch refused to be removed.
So there I was, this peacock,
with his coat of many colours,
wide open to assault,
that accosted me like splinters.

Inner-city youth turned circuit kid adorned in glitter—
I have worn many faces,
though the kindest ones appeared upon my sisters. 

Displaced, I lost many races
yet somehow still remained a winner;
I salvaged scraps of shrapnel
though society classified me as a sinner. 

I am me—the sum of my parts;
sexuality could never render me a victim.

Orlando Gloom.

There is no humanity 

when hatred prevails and reigns supreme,
when we are divided by our faith, 

dogma, race or community.

Our focus should be on 

the forty-nine innocent lives that were lost,
instead of whom to blame 

and which group we must accost.

When hatred takes over, 

ego is the sole reason a louse could feel like a man, 

arrogance ignored results in fools 

acting out their wicked plans.

Anyone who instills fear in others 

should be labeled as a terrorist,
it should not be reserved exclusively for 

that religion from the Middle East.

What difference does it make 

when families are bereaved, 

no amount of bleach could ever erase 

these tears or this blood from the streets.

Who would have thought a city filled with Disney magic 

could experience ugliness like this, 

if Mickey Mouse is not even safe 

then no one really is. 

The world is awash in mourning;
there is no humanity.
So we must look to the helpers to save us 

from being eaten alive by insanity.

Inhumane beasts like this creature, 

the byproduct of a corrupt society, 

are proof that ignorance untreated 

results in a false sense of piety.

For centuries, the battle between 

good and evil has been fought.
Today we learned acceptance is not innate 

and needs to be taught.

Take away their guns and weapons, 

let them wage wars with words;
it's said sticks and stones 

can break one's bones but never verbs.

It's evident now how desperately 

we need to make a change,
exclusion is not the answer 

as it only creates more rage.

Unless we learn to love 

and accept our fellow man, 

we will always be two steps behind, 

unable to accomplish all that we truly can.

Come together, right now—
as we mourn this immeasurable loss. 

When our safe spaces are targeted, 

everybody pays the cost.

He expected to put an end 

to the global community's pulse but failed.

All he accomplished was for our hearts 

to beat louder to show we have prevailed. 

Let us pray for the victims, before we ensure 

evil of this scale never occurs again; 

love will always be victorious
for only it can win.

Estranged.

Everything is changing, coming to an end,
yesterday we were lovers, today we’re hardly friends.

From familiar to strangers, in less than a night,
don’t say you love me anymore, it doesn’t feel right.

Falling to pieces, like shrapnel from the sky,
I have used up all my resources, my tears have run dry.
Take all that you can and go, just leave my side,
as long as you always know, love is stronger than pride.

I am not so weak that I won’t survive,
this is not the first time I’ve had to stay alive,
no, it’s not the first day of my life,
I have felt the worst pain, love’s a knife

Throwing out the pictures I still have of you,
setting fire to the letters that only make me blue,

letting go seems like the only reasonable thing to do,

I cannot keep pretending that I haven’t got a clue.