I stand trembling.

I step into the lions’ den.

I open my mouth to utter three small words

They won’t come out.

I’m terrified.

But I’ve got more anger than terror.

I’ve been hurt one too many times to stop now.

I’m over trying to wait it out.

I’ve been battered by a sea of hatred and sickly-sweet fake smiles

Smiles meant to show the outcasts that they’re happy

They think they are too,

But churches built inside the mind and dedicated to happiness will eventually crumble

Around me, people pretend to happy, patch up the cracks of their smiling church

It’ll be too late soon for some of them

It’s too late for me.

The dragon inside me wants out of the crumbling smiling monument.

I’ve had enough.

I step into the lions’ den.

I open my mouth to utter three powerful words,

I

Don’t

Believe

I stand outside again, still terrified

When the time comes, I utter the next three powerful words

I

Am

Gay

My terror falls away as I’m not cast out

Not fed to the lions for waving a rainbow banner

I offer a bit of trust when the hand held out to me doesn’t falter

Everything is alright

I’ll still be safe to enter the lions’ den to utter my next three powerful words,

Whatever they are