i survived because the fire inside me burned brighter than the fire around me. -joshua graham

after byu’s honor code “clarification”

it is a cruel thing

to give hope

when it is not hope at all

but a flaxen cord

a trip wire

vultures circling overhead.

teach me again

the great plan of happiness

remind me how it works for everyone

that every soul has a place,

plays a part.

teach me how it ignores my existence

how it twists my love to selfishness.

it’s funny i don’t remember god

saying any kind of love was wrong

but tell me again the promises of a broken exaltation

are no longer mine to hold,

and watch me as I don’t even pretend to break.

for a church that prides itself on love

you have the wrong stance on pride.

cut us again

again

again

watch us stand

see the rainbow bleeding from our veins

we were born this way

your god made us this way,

and you were the one who said he didn’t make mistakes.

tell me again that you don’t “get” the protesting

that it doesn’t make sense.

i will tell you again that it was never for you

the banners were never yours.

our colors fly higher than any celestial kingdom

for the ones who still have to hide

the ones entwined with their demons at night

this is their hope

their promise

our fight.

it’s the same love

it’s the same hate

it’s the same humanity we’ve lost

buried in the grounds of religious conviction.

we’ll scream it until we don’t have to

our voices refuse to silence.

if “homosexual behavior”

is the sin i am remembered for

watch me riot in hell.

#lovewins