Here is a poem I wrote centered around a Latinx queer teenager who is coming to terms with their sexuality and identity while figuring out how to move forward. I drew from my own personal experiences, as well as the different issues we discussed this semester.
“I always knew I was different
Not really sure what to make of it
Boys were never just friends
And girls just never got me going
You’d think that once you figure this out
That all your problems will fade away
Like a deep cleanse of your soul
But it only breeds more uncertainty
How will I tell my family?
Should I tell my family?
Silence is like living two lives
But silence is all I’ve ever known
I feel like I am deceiving those closest to me
Like I am a stranger and they don’t even know it
My grandparents always ask me, “y tu novia?”
And I have to say I haven’t met the right one
Knowing that the answer will never change
I always knew I was different
But I never knew how badly I’d want to be the same”
-Spencer Bennett <3