I didn’t feel trans enough
I went to all the meetings
never paid my membership on time
though none of us do

Buttons up to my neck
combat boots & rainbow laces
pride hand stitched into lining
reclaimed slurs
decorating face and body

Was I the wolf
in queer’s clothing?
Racing to the dress ups
hurrying to play pretend
before the banners were
taken home, rolled up
until next year

I didn’t care about bathroom
stalls, signs, binders
just ballads sung
by good people
colouring the airwaves

creating gender in
space and stars
who knew mine was

Hidden

under stones, soil, sun
warmed trunks and
ladybugs legs clinging
to leftovers
of yesterday’s harvest

The pink of earth
worms, brown of
oxidised apple cores
and the tap you turn
to water it again

About the author

Finn is a queer, trans guy living in Naarm (Melbourne). He is an author, poet, youth worker and workshop facilitator. His poetry has been previously published in Alex Nichols’ ‘In Flux: trans and gender diverse reflections and imaginings’. Finn’s work untangles gender, identity and bodies, and explores how it shapes relationships.

Photo by Eric Prouzet on Unsplash.