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
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Author:
Matthew R. Callies (
Offline) - Published: June 10th, 2026 07:58
- Comment from author about the poem: Poem 10 for Pride Month. Gay Shame is a movement from within the queer communities described as a radical alternative to gay mainstreaming. For more context visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_Shame
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 5
- In collections: The Continuance of Us.
Offline)
Comments2
Mattjew, this really hit me hard. There is a fierce energy running through this piece...not celebratory in the conventional sense, but determined, defiant, and unwilling to be softened for anyone else's comfort. Powerful write, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
This style of poem I have often thought I would try but as of yet have not attempted. I find it quite engaging and very useful in projecting a certain echo feeling to the poem. Nicely done
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