A poem based on the lgbtqia+ community.
Pt 1

Born blue,
Feeling pink
The sky is a shade of lilac
And I'm filled with void.

A cloud of grey chokes me,
Leaving me breathless.
I look up to the rainbow ;
Giving me strength and hope.
The waters of agony, judgement,
Homophobia, melancholy and
Shame, cloud around me ;
Telling me I'm wrong.

Am I wrong?
Am I wrong for liking a shade of
Lilac?
Am I wrong for being attracted to
Two genders - a shade of pink &
Blue.
Am I wrong, when I didn't choose
This?
It happened; it's not a choice.
I was born this way.

They tell me I'm wrong for being a
Boy, leaning towards boys.
That hell, will burn me alive.
Naive they are, for they haven't seen
The fire inside me burning and
Fighting its way out.
I look for an escape,
There's none ;
Only red everywhere.
Nothing comes out except
Silence.

They're as still & silent as trees,
Letting my screams fill the hollow room.
All eyes are on the floor,
Except mine.
I scream and scream,
Demanding answers -
But nothing ever comes out other
Than silence.
The void thick in the air,
Eyes covered with shame,
Throats dry as sand,
Nothing ever comes out.
No answers.

I sit on the floor with garlands in my
Hair and flowers in my hands -
Dark pink rose giving a whiff of Eternal beauty;
Lighter - myriad shades of pink
Merge in the form of a lotus.
I spin them around in the air, in
Circles like a ballerina.
White daisy gleaming like a
Tower of peace ;
Orange marigolds standing tall
Representing solidarity, are adding to
The already existing aesthetic.
The red ; red adding love in the form
Of a thousand roses.
All dancing, gleaming, spreading
Love and sweetness.
While they make my heart sing, I
Crave the presence of mi amor,
My girl, by side.
My one truth that I constantly have
To hide behind the curtains.

I want to show her to the world but
The fear of shame and violence is
Too strong.
They have chained us in ropes of
Stigma,
Poison that refuses to leave us until
We're knocked out.
They say we're going to hell,
They say hell's fury and wrath will
Turn us to ashes.
Haha, being turned to ashes is better
Than living in an inconsiderate
World.

They say we're all one in the eyes
Of god,
Yet their actions overpower
Their preachings.
Chameleon,
Chameleons they are. Changing
Words according to their Convenience.

The world tells us that we're free to
Love & free to be ourselves.
But when we try doing so, try Breaking out ; take the form of
Butterflies, they throw us on the other
Side of wall covered with mucky -
Slimy liquids of hate, ignorance,
Inequality, fear, trans - homo - bi -
Phobia, abuse and bullying.
They tell us we're in denial, that we
Don't belong,
That it's in our heads.
They try fixing us.
They spread violence in the name of
Right.
They sow seeds of hate among us,
Turning our heads black and blue.

When I was born, there was Sprinkling of pink gulal everywhere.
I was conditioned to be feminine.
Growing up, I saw changes, changes
They didn't see or understand.
I liked blue water,
I wanted to be blue and not pink.
They told me, I can be myself and
Then, when I tried immersing myself
In blue,
They took me aside and beat me
Red & blue,
Turning me a hue of violet.
I saw red coming out of my lungs,
My nose.
Angry tears threatened to spill &
Add a tinge to the already existing
Palette.
My body quivered,
My head spinned around like a
Gol - chakri.
A shadow of black trapped itself in
My head.
I turned a shade of blue,
A blue I never wanted.
My eyes held blankness of
Empty canvases.
My voice faded,
My esteem shrinked.
Monsters came in
And
Once again,
I was greeted with
Silence.

-Ridhima Joshi.

Please read carefully to understand the themes of the poem, otherwise you won't.
This is by far the lengthiest poem I've ever written in my life : 661 words.