CW: mention of rape
I’ve long ago stopped thinking of myself as a good.
Having played lapdog to important men, acting as I should,
‘Good’ was poisoned by good people who told me I was bad.
What hellish flames burned for me to be had
for the sin of being queer.
For good people I only predominantly felt fear.
Good people who raped me.
Good people who beat me.
Good people who tried to kill me.
Good people who were fine upstanding Christians.
Good people who were pillars of the community.
Good. Honest. Police. Priests. Politicians.
Honestly, the threat of hell;
to be tragically separated from the best of the best;
sounds less like a punitive knell,
and more like the promise of rest.
Charl Landsberg is a transgender poet, author, musician, and artist who’s work often reflects on feminism, queer liberation, and racial justice. They have an expansive catalogue of poetry online that spans serious issues surrounding social justice to fantasy and science fiction.