christmas: a slam poem

come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant!
because who does christmas belong to, anyway?
to an oppressed group hiding
an oppressed group that has since become powerful
that has since made its power one to oppress

to oppress me, throw me in the lion’s den with daniel
put me on the inverted cross with peter
because i am not even worthy of a crucifixion,
except on a barbed wire fence in laramie wyoming
stone me, bring down the wrath of your hateful 
old-fucking-testament god
call paul to tell me my lusts are unnatural

but i remember that you weren’t always this way
you didn’t always have this power
and on the rare nights i still pray to god

i pray that you’ll remember the catacombs of rome
that you’ll remember where you came from,
the way i remember the statues by stonewall
the way tyler clementi’s name still chills me
the way i have to constantly remember
that i am not worthy of your doctrine’s love
and it is so close to the love of your god
that i choose not to forgive him his sins
or the sins done in his name
because he knows he hasn’t apologized

remember where you come from, ye joyful and triumphant,
and when you look at me don’t forget 
i have catacombs of my own i must hide in.
we just call them closets these days.

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