Text
i dread the pool.
even though i love swimming,
the other me had an easier time.
i didn’t get pointed looks.
or unconscious avoidance.
because i wasn’t a man then.
i am now.
i am a man
wearing women’s jeans
and glittery makeup.
i want the side eyes
and the villainizing stories
that fox news airs every other segment
a formidable reminder of who i am.
because my tears vaporize when
someone calls
my reclaimed name.
in my community,
who i found in reservoirs of love.
and the concept of homophobia
evaporates when
my boyfriend
smiles at me.
and i fail to remember
any reason for hating
my queerness.