I have not showered
I have not eaten
I have not slept
I have not gotten out of bed

"Just shake it off!"
"Get over it!"
"Be strong!"
"Just pray about it!"

The ache in my head
The ache in my stomach
The ache in my heart
The ache in my bones

"You are just too sensitive!"
"There is nothing wrong with you!"
"You don't have anything to be depressed about!"
"You just want attention!"

I retreat
I cry
I stare
I fear

"You are making a mountain out of a mole hill!"
"If you keep acting this way no one will want to be around you!"
"It's all in your head!"
"I too feel depressed, but I don't let it get me down because--"

Frozen in bed
Frozen in place
Frozen in time
Frozen in space

"You aren't trying hard enough!"
"You are just lazy!"
"Stop faking!"
"You use your illness as an excuse to--"

I feel embarrassed
I feel ashamed
I 'm in despair
I'm in pain

"You are being ridiculous!"
"Stop worrying about things that haven't happened!"
"This is why no one likes you!"
"You mope too much!"

Stop
Rinse
Repeat
More of the same

Today, in Bisexuality-"Pick a sided!"
Why should we? We have the right to-
"Shut up!"
BLOCKED

Today, in Bisexuality-"Men can't be Bisexual!"
Yes, they can be, and-
"****!"
BLOCKED

Today, in Bisexuality- "Top 17 List of Gay Celebs!"
Bisexual Celebs have been listed as gay or lesbian. If you could, please-
"We said what we said!"
BLOCKED

Today, in Bisexuality- "**** gay marriage! You, people, are gross!"
Then, avert your eyes. And, it's called same-*** marriage for a reason. I'm Bisexual and when you don't acknowledge that you erase-
"*******!"
BLOCKED

Today, in Bisexuality- "Y'all say Y'all like girls, but always marry men. It's so stupid!"
Did you ever stop to think it's because Queer women isolate and shun us? Did you ever stop to think most of us are fearful of coming out because we have to deal with Biphobia and always defending-
"******* *****!"
BLOCKED

Today, in Bisexuality- "Bisexuality isn't real!"
But, but, but, it's called LGBTQ because the B stands for-
"You are just confused and experimenting!"
But, I'm the B in LGBTQ and-
"Go **** yourself!"
BLOCKED

UNPLUG. RECHARGE. RESET.

I feel the cold. I'm forced in the void.
We don't have a voice. We are being destroyed.
Abused. Battered. Shunned. Lost.
You ignore our needs, and our lives are the cost.

No funding. No help. No representation.
We are the ******* children of a silent nation.
We ask for help and organizations wait for our week.
We aren't asking for much. It's Visibility we seek.

Using your voice is free. Make noise on your platform every day and night.
We aren't going away. For Visibility, we fight!

Her skin, smooth
Her breath, minty
Her voice, musical
Her taste, sweet
Her beauty, ethereal
Our souls, connect
Our spirits, awakened
Our love, pure
Our time, undiscovered

*****
*****
Bushy
Wild

Mocked
Ridiculed
Bullied
Ashamed

Straigh­tened
Weaved
Braided
Pressed

Accepted
Welcomed
Complimented
Love­d

I look in the mirror and I do not like what I see
My hair is broken, unhealthy and destroyed
I tried to fit in
I wanted to fit in

She, my mother, didn't know how to manage my wild tresses
She, my mother, didn't know how to love my wild mane
She, my mother, didn't teach me how to embrace me
She, my mother, became a victim of society
She, my mother, then taught it to me

Growth
Self love
Self care
Time to accept me and take care of my hair

I'm making a return to my roots and to that kid
I big chopped Ya'll
Yes, I did
I embraced myself and all that is

*****
Curly
Sophisticated
Wild

In love
In awe
Accepted
Welcomed

Embraced
Unapologetic
Free
Natural me

It starts with a warm smile
Sometimes you can just nicely say, "Hello"
Offer a hungry person a meal
Maybe lend an ear. Listen. Just listen.
Help a stranger in need
Donate your old clothes
Drop a few cans of food off at the local pantry
Hand out bottles of water on a hot day
Pay it forward
It catches on
It spreads
It ripples out
I definitely wouldn't mind a pandemic.
Would you?