Anxiety stifles your ability
to see the ineffable beauty
in all the variety of diversity
that invigorates our society.

Light skin transitions to
darker shades that smile through
long limbs thick with
fat or muscular tension.

She to he, they to em
theirs, eirs, her, him
so many pronouns
and I have failed to
name all of them,
cause I am still learning.

Sometimes it’s hard to figure out
leaves us with a little doubt
as uncertainty grows to
fear that flows to
anger.

Strangers strain your composure,
especially as you grow older
and your brain grows more rigid
and your heart goes more frigid
till you are vivid with lividness

The erosion of resistance
to the love of what’s different
through exposure.