The Little Engine That Did (June 25, 2018)

oo often

We are

The LGBTQ+ community’s

Forgotten child

Who helps everyone else

To get their rights recognized

By society.

In 1966

Three years prior

To the Stonewall Riots

San Francisco’s transcommunity

Fired the very first shots

For LGBTQ+ rights

At the Compton Cafeteria Riots.

Even then

At New York’s Stonewall Riots

We “manned" the front lines

Fighting beside our gay brothers.

And now

On June 22, 2018

Toronto's transcommunity marks

The 10th anniversary

Of the Trans March

At Toronto Pride.

A right

We fought for

Just like Canada's enshrining

Of legal protection

For the transcommunity

Under Canadian law

In June 2017.

Taking to the streets

Without recognition

From the Pride Toronto committee

In 2009.

For four Toronto Prides

We marched

Demanding our right

As part of Toronto's LGBTQ+

Community.

Until 2013

When Pride Toronto

Acknowledged us

As part of the community.

Even now

The struggle continues

For true equality

Within Toronto's LGBTQ+

Community.

As we fight

For ethnic diversity.

In realizing

That Toronto is

A multicultural city

Within the LGBTQ+ community

Is a part of.

Therisa © 2018

Author’s note: Another poem for this year’s Pride Poetry.

'Em Fighting Words (February 25, 2017)

"We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender." 

Winston Churchill (June 4, 1940, speech to Parliament, in London, England)

The war has started

With your firing

The opening salvos

In the North Caroline Legislature

By passing ignorant based

HB2 legislation.

And now

This.

The revoking

Of President Obama's

Presidential decree

Allowing a trans-person

To use the washroom

Of their chosen gender.

Never thought

I would be saying

Or writing

These words:

"Thank you

President Trump."

For your words

And actions

Have united.

A diverse 

And fractured community

As one.

Against you.

As we girth up

For the coming battles

Once more

"Manning" the front line.

Like we did

At the Compton's Cafeteria riots

In San Francisco (August 1966).

Or

The Stonewall Riots

That started

On June 28, 1968.

Except

This time

We will be remembered

By history

For our actions.

In refusing

The Gay and Lesbian communities

To speak for us

Like before.

Advancing

The civil and human rights

Of all.

Therisa © 2017

Author's note: The following is, an example of the growing anger, against President Trump., within the trans-community: https://ca.yahoo.com/news/caitlyn-jenner-calls-trump-transgender-082615889.html