for Jess, George, Cindy and AP
CW: This poem discusses the events of the 2025 Destiny Church attack on the Te Atatū Library.
Let’s not make this hard, you say
As if toppling under the weight
of your homophobic neocolonial malice
is a simple request.
As if there are no blisters, wet and red
where you grind your gritty skin against
my tender iron ethics.
As if you are not heaving granite fists at rangatahi
and in the same incendiary moment, utter
I’m trying to save you.
As if your perverse giddy joy at our horror
adrenaline pooling viscous and sour
isn’t itself a sin.
As if you expect me to limp wrist lie down
gentle into the good night
and welcome your boot to my mouth.
As if we aren’t built out of rage
spite and spit
tooth and press-on nail.
As if my voice is not a knife cutting
your insidious vitriolic noise sliced
into iridescent foil ribbons.
As if your jaw does not sing to my elbow
a carabiner locked to your neck
as we grapple on the floor.
As if the kids don’t already know
who they are.
Let’s not make this hard, you say.
It’s just that holding the line
this unyielding renitent line
could not be any easier.
Featured photo by Edson Rosas on Unsplash.
