At the Stonewall Inn, You Held My Hand
an abcderian poem
At the Stonewall Inn, you held my hand.
"Babe," you said,
Clutched tightly to my skin,
Digging your nails in.
Ever so slightly you faltered,
Fearing for your life.
"Gay?" they asked. We can't say it now.
How did we get so far, only to go backwards?
I remember when we fought for justice.
Judge, jury, and executioner
Kicked down our doors, but we stood resolute,
Loving the only way we knew how.
My hands clasped yours tightly,
Ne ver letting go.
O nly to wipe the lone tear,
P ainting your face.
Q uelled rage.
R emember? It wasn't so long ago
S treets overflowed with our fury.
T yrrany, oppression,
U nder the thumb of
V ietnam, the war outside mirroring
Wars w ithin.
X enophobia, homophobia?
You fought them with me.
Zeitgeists came and went, and still I hold your hand.
*******
AUTHOR'S NOTE: For those unfamiliar with the Stonewall Riots, they marked a pivotal moment in the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights, sparked by police raids in the Stonewall Inn. This led to days of protests, inspiring activism and the push for equality worldwide. With the "Don't Say Gay" bill and other political moves to surpress these rights today, this conversation is essential. Poetry is activism.
About the Creator
E.K. Daniels
Writer, watercolorist, and regular at the restaurant at the end of the universe. Twitter @inkladen
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Keep reading
More stories from E.K. Daniels and writers in Poets and other communities.
Comments (18)
Congrats on Top Story!🥳
Beautiful and powerful work!!
Powerful work!
Incredible read, really enjoyed this submission to the challenge! Please check out mine if you get the chance ♥️
This is an important poem, it reveals truth and talent. Well deserved Top Story!
Amazing '=' Loved your poem
Beautiful, inspiring, empowering, and brings back so many memories of hard-fought fights worth the fighting. Congratulations on your TS.
Very wonderful read! It flowed very nicely and captured the essence and soul of your writing. Also congratz on your top story! Very well deserved!!
You're doing amazing work—keep it up, congratulations!
This was extremely powerful! Love is love! Congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Stunning! It's always a fun surprise to see how people use the letter X in these Abecedarians. Love your work E.K
I love this. Great take on the challenge. I love that you connected it to the stonewall riots.
I've been seeing a lot of heartfelt abecedarians lately, which surprises me, because the form usually lends itself to a more lighthearted edge. Great take on this
💜🩵💙💚💛🧡❤️
Fabulous!!! Loved it!!! Congratulations on Top Story!!!♥️♥️💕
This is so epic. Love is love 🌈
Love wins
your message resonated with me, giving me goosebumps.