Matthew R. Callies

Refusal in a Public Light

We gather where celebration refuses polish and permission

in rooms that never asked to be made respectable

the word “pride” turned inside out into something sharper

a city’s glitter peeled back to its raw wiring

 

in rooms that never asked to be made respectable

Gay Shame writes itself in flyers and friction

a city’s glitter peeled back to its raw wiring

not absence of joy, but refusal of packaging

 

Gay Shame writes itself in flyers and friction

we gather where celebration refuses polish and permission

not absence of joy, but refusal of packaging

the word “pride” turned inside out into something sharper

 

not absence of joy, but refusal of packaging

we refuse the parade float version of survival

the word “pride” turned inside out into something sharper

in bodies that will not be curated for comfort

 

we refuse the parade float version of survival

a city’s glitter peeled back to its raw wiring

in bodies that will not be curated for comfort

we gather where celebration refuses polish and permission