to never again neglect my own heart
because it has been held hostage by the ignorance
of closed minded views; it has been torched
as a sinner by the same bible that says God
loves all its children and it continues to be called a faggot
through the yells of belligerent eyes
who are afraid of difference; afraid to watch two men
kiss on the lips of their own natural emotion.
I stand on the altar of freedom with a lifelong devotion
and as a symbol of love and strength
against those who wear homophobia as their chosen fashion.
But for them I still have compassion
because I see their hatred as a disease
of distorted views which causes them
to fear same sex companionship.
So here I am sliding a ring upon this finger
and saying “I do”.
And thus, I am not allowing anyone to dictate
who I love or who I value.
Because in this hand I will strongly take his love
to have, to hold and to stand connected with pride
as we fight for civil liberties side by side
until death indeed shall we part.
I will be his shelter through our greatest weakness
and his shield of healing through our toughest sickness.
Together we will become the monument of love
proudly mounted on the plateau of human rights.
I make these vowels that I will no longer be attacked and shoved back
into a closet where the air of expression is a closed vent
of shame; I will no longer be guided to hide
the definitions of my soul behind facades
of emotional insecurities and I will no longer be afraid
to love because this is my civil union to the man
I stand here before; a man who will never again
wear the veil of loneliness as together we are pronounced
Free.
And with these words, I thee wed internal happiness.
© 2010
Tarringo T. Vaughan
