Friday, April 10, 2009

to 11 year old Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, who hung himself after daily anti-gay bullying



i am going to attempt to put words
to the unspeakably tragic.

my heart, mind & soul
sinks, fumbles,
shakes in denial

and i never knew you.

so many children
know the agony
of the constricting prison of
"masculinity"
or
"femininity"

and still other children
who don't even know themselves yet
patrol the borders of that prison
with adolescent cruelty

your world must have been so painful
so claustrophobic
to choose constricting your own breath
as a means of escape

carl

may your spirit rest
and your story teach us
that homophobia hurts everyone
constricts us all
whether you are gay
or people just decide you are.

may your spirit rest
may your family know peace
may justice and empathy evolve hand in hand.

you are beautiful.

~rmw 4/10/09


*for the article in GLSEN click here.


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8 comments:

SeBiArt said...

I don't know what to say. What a tragedy. And what a consistently feeling soul you are for addressing this, posting this, and sending out love to his spirit. peace in rest Carl.

Skye @ Planet Jinxatron said...

I'm looking at his face and wondering if that could be my son in 10 years.

Anonymous said...

What a horrific tragedy. *wipes tears*

Ashlee Blackwell said...

that was the best expression in the form of poetry i've read in a very long time. speaking volumes with a few words of a bigger problem is an understatement.

no matter, we must teach our youth early about at the minimal 'tolerance' and what it means or unfortunately, this will continue.

omi said...

what a beautiful boy...

apparently my 8 yr old godson has been taunted lately because he can't play sports as well as some of the other boys. wtf?

why is it SO important to be a "real" girl or boy? just so folks' small minds have a box to go to? sigh.

the queen'z here said...

i so connect to this poem. i will continue to pray for the world to change so noone feels like they must take their life to have peace.

richard said...

thank you for your words people. its good to have community around this. bless up.

knowledge said...

This poem moved me. Your honor of Carl and others like him inspire.