All Across the Spectrum

*Acrostic Poem*

.

Another man tells me what I should do with my body, he says

Supporting rainbows is a sin

Except I don’t believe in sin or a God who would allow those

Xanthic eyes try to change my identity; I’m

Unable to hold his lustful gaze

As I come to realize

Love doesn’t always have to be physical

.

Perhaps love isn’t stagnant but a process that fluctuates

And moves across borders

Never slowing for conservative believers, maybe

Romance is more than seduction

Or a cheap box of chocolates and flowers

Maybe binding two hearts together is more important than

Attraction, maybe our definition of

Normal has tainted the

True nature of love

I’m still not sure about my sexuality yet, but maybe I was

Created to love whoever needs connection

.

Growing up I was taught to

Run from color; colored hair, colored skin, colored flags—my

Eyes were only allowed to see in black and white; us versus them

Young girls were kept

Silent in their

Churches; hushed by submissive mothers

And dominant fathers whose voices were

Louder when preaching virginity. All in the name of

Education

.

Religion doesn’t taste as sweet

Anymore, God can’t give me the same peace he used to

I was never allowed to question around Him; but

Now I raise up every color to full mast

Because rainbows aren’t dictated by

Obedience, and they aren’t

Weaponized for control like the bible is.

.

-Bree