Pride

A Poem

i wonder about the mouthfeel
of my mothers words 
as she spat them at my sister
were they bitter on her tongue?
did it taste like fear?
or regret?
pride?
i’ll never know 

i wasn’t there
i didn’t witness with eyes
only my sidekick alight 
with an incoming call
right there
in the taco bell drive thru
51 miles away
broken sobs over telephone wires
the fear in the timbre of my sisters tone
it seized my very soul
“i’m gay”

her pain, so palpable
i could feel it in my car
suffocating me like 
the georgia humidity
but
“i know. i love you”
it’s as easy as breathing
no moment of hesitation 
and the words
like incantations
tasted like honey
and cinnamon and vanilla
sweet on my tongue
thick with a familiar flavor
pride

little sisters are like rainbows
and big sisters can only hope
to shine enough light through the storm 
to witness the colors of 
her magic

dedicated to my little sister, in honor of pride month. 🌈

Two Sisters (On the Terrace)

Painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

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