When I Can't Do Anything Else

Devoid of Us

We risked it, we risked it all— we threw caution to the wind, the consequences nonexistent
The doubts and dark days consistent
You, the fury, the dark, never wanting to feel so stark, not black nor white
You, a choir of colors, varied by circumstance, mended unique by experience
Yes, you— with all the worry, sadness, and unacceptance;
Always know that we're here for you, to protect, to safeguard, and to love

We risked it all, too; we sparked the fire of this new era, and we're here for it til the end
We're here to say that the world isn't just that simple, it isn't monochromatic,
It isn't devoid of us, it isn't filled with their own perception of life,
We're here to stand our ground, to raise our flag, conquering, making our place in this world brimming with hate
A world that thinks their views compensate

A world that lives to break down others

We stand, here, on this very planet to fight for our rights,
To fight for the criminalities, the wrongness of ignorance— we fight for our existence
We fight for our hearts, to love anybody, and everybody
To defend what is right, to defend was is true
To fight against the world, we will come through

We risked it all— to fight hatred with love, to spread kindess and its earnest acceptance to all who are confused, in the dark, bruised and battered,
Going out on a limb, cutting the ties who don't agree, leaving homes that inflict hurt and pain, to be here;
Here, with you, with us, with PRIDE, we march on to make our presence known
To leave the past of uncertainty, and on to the road, glitzed and glamoured, together with everyone, like a tapestry that's beautifully sewn

We risked— the risk of losing it all, and maybe some did lose everything
It's up to us to change it, the future is on our hands to prevent it
We're going to reinforce the foundation for the next generation— to choose whoever you want to be, and who you want to love

The future won't be plagued by disasters, ignorance, and hate
A future desolate of love and harmony
That won't happen
You, and I, all of us—

We'll make sure of it

//k.u.

***

Note: Wrote this piece as a submission to our local Pride March! I'm gonna attend Manila Pride March today! My first ever Pride March ever! And this marks the last day of Pride Month, but it doesn't mean our pride itself ends there. We will carry it until the end! Btw, I feel like I'm getting rusty in my writing. Seems... hollow. Ugh. Happy Pride everyone! (If you're reading this Bern, thank you for pushing me to write!)