Crickets chirp quietly
And leaves waft down from the trees.
Branches cast shadows
Through the moonlight that bathes the yard.
The serene oasis
Stands in sharp contrast
With the atrocity that took place earlier
Somewhere far away
Yet somehow close at the same time.
My statue waits for me,
His bronze skin glinting in the soft light.
Dead leaves crunch under my feet
As I go to tell him what has befallen his comrade
But there is no need;
He already knows.
“I don’t have to tell you, do I, Stonewall? You can feel it. You know what happened. Your heart is sad, and mine is, too. We will grieve, and mourn, together. You are the one thing that makes me feel just a tiny bit better, that makes this pain bearable. Things like this, are why it is so important that you exist. Things like this are why I decided to bring you into the world.”
“Don’t worry, they can’t hurt you here. I own this land, and I will protect you. I will keep you safe.”
“I’ll try to get some sleep tonight, and I hope that you can, too. See you in the morning.”
Excruciating pain
Serves also as a reminder
Of the path that I’ve chosen.
This land is mine,
A world that bigotry, intolerance, and cruelty cannot touch
In which a little statue lives
Safe, protected, beautiful, magnificent
Who wouldn’t have been born otherwise.
10/26/23