Walk a mile

A Conflagration of Honesty and Passion

A bold dash of colour,
a bright splash of life,
amidst the drabble of dark brown
and mottled khaki.

With plumes of purple and pink
and swaths of orange and bright blue,
you refused to conform,
                  to live a lie,
                  to hide your love,
even as the flames of hate
were stoked by fear and ignorance.

As I dusted ashes off a single pink feather,
I was so goddamn proud of you,
and the spirit that would live on
in the honesty and passion you inspired.


Free verse. Written 3 October 2016.

Honourable mention in "The LGBT Writing Contest - December 2024"  (October 2016)