Every Pride Is A Riot
Luka Gawlinski Silva
the first pride was a riot and
so is
this
one.
a brick
does not have to be a brick
to break a window.
a man does not need tear gas to
disperse a crowd if he
has a book and a poster
and a tongue.
there is violence in her
breathing. in a
kiss. in a body that bent
so it could
feel
beautiful. in
beauty that refuses to bend
for it to be
a body.
there is anger in his masc
ara and it will
not
hesitate to
drip. he is
young but he
has died too many
times to keep count
too many times to
keep
planting grave
stones so there
are none.
fists clenched
teeth on teeth
barrier on barrier today there
must not be blood etched
into asphalt, love
turned to loss.
there are so many people but in an
instant
they could be made into
less.
what good is a rainbow if
it cannot be
a shield?
what good is a shield if
what you need
is a sword?
every pride is a riot
until pride is
no longer
painkiller.
the first pride was a riot.
the last one will be too.
Luka Gawlinski Silva is a sophomore in Grace Hopper College. He can be contacted at luka.silva@yale.edu.