For United Nations Day, 25 October 2024.

In shadows we walk, unseen, unheard,
LGBTIQ souls, whose voices are blurred.
From lands of fear, where love is a crime,
We flee to new shores, seeking hope in time.
Yet the world turns away, blind to our tears,
While we tremble in silence, swallowed by fears.
Abandoned, forgotten, hearts heavy with pain,
In a world of bright colours, we stand in the rain.
Do you hear us? Can you feel our plea?
We are refugees yearning to simply be free.
But the chains still hold, though the land may change,
The scars of rejection feel hauntingly strange.
Some stand at the edge, too tired to fight,
With dark thoughts that whisper through endless night.
The weight of the world, too cruel to bear,
We need your love, we need your care.
We ask for a hand, a heart to restore,
A place to belong, to feel safe once more.
To live without fear, to breathe without shame,
To walk through the world without hiding our name.
So rise with compassion, let kindness lead,
For LGBTIQ refugees, in silence we plead.
The world can be brighter, if only you see,
We are part of its fabric, we just wish to be free.
By Joseph K (He/him)
This blog ©2024 Geoff Allshorn, all rights returned to the author.