Classic Poem

every day
every time i leave my house
everywhere i go
i pin on my knapsack
twin petal-small flags
to which my allegiance is pledged
whole

these flags are not monkeys on my back
i carry them as a coat of arms
mantles of double brotherhood
they shield like second skin
to drape my dreams

one floats rainbow
the other wings tricolor
both bold with movement
i am not ashamed
of what they stand for
when their meaning is
questioned

these flags are not chips on my shoulders
i carry them as beauty spots
markings of double brotherhood
they shine like mirror beads
to reflect prejudice

one unfurls the future of the queer nation
the other salutes african ancestors
both wave s.o.s. signals
i am not afraid
to stand my ground
when their beauty is
challenged

these flags are not crossbones on my life
i carry them as amulets
emblems of double brotherhood
they spellbind like stars
to stripe america

glory
that becomes me in tribal rituals
& battle against bigots
i have honored with my blood
everywhere i go
every time i leave my house