Quiet Somewhere

I never thought I’d want to move away from the place I was born and raised,

but the older I get, the more I crave quiet.

A place where queerness isn’t hidden, just lived.

I want to find a small, soft community to settle into.

Where we plant flowers together and read books,

drink coffee and tea as the sun rises,

and sip hot chocolate while watching fireflies dance through the evening air.

Where laughter is abundant,

poetry is shared freely,

and the bonds between us stretch deeper than any label or form.

A place where existence feels gentle.

Where we’re allowed to just be.

Something that could never quite happen

in the Deep South of the United States of America.