we are still here.

tears and blood flow
in the same current
from our brothers & sisters
our brothersisters
our sisterbrothers
our in between &
our all encompassing.


we fight with blindfolds
over our eyes
tape over our mouths
arms & legs shackled.

but we are still here.


we grew too old too soon.

we've seen death;
we've seen birth.


we've marched down streets
& hidden in the dark.

we've built walls to protect ourselves
& we've broken down walls
to join communities together.

we are still here.


we've felt sticks & stones
& names,
we've felt bats.

we've felt misguided eyes
judging from afar,
we've been judged in our own homes.


we've been told we don't know what we want
we've been told that we love wrong.


yet we march & cry out
& sing songs
of victory.


& we mourn
& hide in our homes
& lick our wounds.


& when the dust dies down,
when our fallen are counted
& their names whispered into the night
from the choked up throats of
mothers and fathers
lovers & friends
strangers & cousins..

when the clouds clear,
we are still here.