The Gay Agenda

the first time i saw two women holding
hands in the street it was like a revelation,
like a revolution, like an army in the streets
couldn’t touch me
but i still had to go home
to my prop 8 house in my prop 8 state where
i’m told everything is too liberal but have sense
& memory & good enough eyes to know better

it has taken some time but my skin has become
tough and i have grown into Queer-As-In-Fuck-You,
but i didn’t ask for this; all i want is a small house
with a garden & someone to help me tend it,
all i want is to walk down the street holding
hands with the person i love without it meaning
anything to anyone but us

but see existence is an act of defiance, self love
an act of revolution, and i may be living for the
future but i’m still living in the now, and i love
my half shaved head & my too sharp grin & when
i can go a week without being called miss or honey
or girl and so i will live like my body is a chicken bone:
you may swallow me whole but i will catch in your
throat and you will choke on me.

 By kmp

Biography:

kmp is a southern californian poet and an undergraduate student double majoring in comparative literature and anthropology and double minoring in gender and sexuality studies and archaeology. their work has previously been published in The Wall, Neon Anteater Renaissance, New Forum, Rising Phoenix Review, L’Éphémère Review: Issue IV, Disquietude, and Werkloos Mag: “In Limbo”, as well as on their blog https://ashandabstraction.tumblr.com/.