2021 Pride by @redstone.blinds
We want to thank all of our LGBTQ+ supporters this Pride Month and to the two art submissions we received! We know that this has been a difficult and heavy year for many, and we wanted to offer some opportunities for everyone to feel seen and appreciated. The Pride month art submissions are here to serve as a way for us to appreciate your talents through any form of art, including but not limited to, paintings, drawings, written work, and graphic design.
We want to extend our gratitude towards an anonymous submission! We received a beautifully written poem called "To Be Found." The writer described it as a free verse poem about not being alone in discovering their sexuality. We see you, appreciate you, and are honored to share your work.
We also received another amazing submission from one of our supporters! They described it as “An ink and watercolor painting of a lion flying a cape displaying the progress pride flag, wordplay alluding both to the zoological term and its self-affirming identification with the LGBTQ community, above the colorful banner ‘Pride 2021’”. This is such a vibrant and well thought out piece! Thank you for allowing us to share your art and Happy Pride month!
to be found
- a poem by an anonymous author
her muscles screamed at her
for she did not know
how to listen
arms and legs
shaking, trembling
in the bitter cold
her long, raven hair
of no assistance
her tears didn't help her chill
her body racked with sobs
Run.
Hide.
Again.
when problems arose
and her throat closed in
when a thin layer of sweat
covered her face
smothering her until she couldn’t breath the creeping feeling rising
she'd never know what to do with it but that familiar ache
and that familiar phrase
piercing
in her brain:
"pray about it,
Most Sovereign will take care of you” Run.
Hide.
Again.
she stepped up higher
on the marble floor of the church
born there
raised there
knew nothing else since birth
than the commitment
to a Sovereignty who couldn't be seen. her commitment was to be made
to a book that was told
to be true
Run.
Hide.
Again.
her body was vibrating with nerves her arms covered in prickling little ants a shrill ringing in her ears
she wiped her pale face free from tears so that she could tilt her head up
to attempt to face her fears
but to no avail
she was alone
Run.
Hide.
Again.
what was she afraid of?
well of course,
she was afraid
of exactly where she was:
the shiny white linings
glaring down at her shaking features made her remember
all of the times she'd been told she was evil.
Run.
Hide.
Again.
how can someone be evil
for loving someone?
if the unseen Sovereign One commands one to love all and for all to love one, then how is her love towards other Shes considered evil?
Run.
Hide.
Again.
since a young age
she was blind
to the difference in families
but she was taught blind
by a blind teacher
Run.
Hide.
Again.
she'd been told from a young age of who to make
her family
but in being ranted and rattled at she had only found another way
to justify
her hatred for herself.
Run.
Hide.
Again.
as she grew older
as her blindness chipped away
as she saw how blindly she was taught by her blind teachers
she was blind but now
she can see
the more she realized how many others
there were
there were so many
who had the same words
echoing and resounding
sinking and dragging
them down.
Run?
Hide?
Again?
she looked around on the dusty marble steps
seeing so many
frightened and scarred
faces she recognized
seeing so many
prickling ants and trembles and so many
who had wept
just like her
she wasn't alone
she has never been alone Dwell
she is Found
Forever.
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