when i speak with the people that i am unfamiliar with,
i can feel the tension in the air,
not pleasant, but not unbearable either,
it's a sudden change from the earlier mood i was in,
and its after effects stay much longer than I like.
they call this the "elephant in the room",
but this elephant's features can differ.
in some scenarios the elephant is massive.
its tusks gleam in the available light and its eyes are flaming red.
its feet stomp on the ground and its trunk flares with anger.
sometimes the elephant is adorable.
its ears flapping excitedly in the air,
its trunk sounding the sweetest toots I have ever heard.
although i know of this elephant, i fear its gentle character will leave,
and the only thing left would be untameable.
for now, i push these thoughts aside and focus on the current elephant in the room.
luckily for me, my elephant seems to be harmless.
(but as i turn away, i hear its nostrils flare.)
Hello, everyone. I am aware that this doesn't exactly fit in the usual LGBTQ+ literature, but I wanted to represent the fear and the joy that open people of the community feel. The "elephant" here is supposed to signify both the different people that are met, and the emotions that they possess. I hope you understood! XD
-mukhtalif