‘Ode to Our Becoming’ by A. L. Tilly

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Ode to Our Becoming

There is a sanctuary
in the way that you look at me –
not as a fixed point, but a vast horizon.
You love who I was, who I am today,
and the being I am still turning into.

Together we build a dialect out of morning light,
soft laughter, tangled sheets,
and the steady pulse of being known.
Outside they ask us for our definitions.
Inside, we simply bloom.

To watch you grow into your own wide sky
is the quietest honour of my life.
We charge forward, as faithful companions,
unfolding together,
exactly as we are.

Photo taken from a rocky riverside with straggly green plants. The photo shows us the rippling Magandjin river, tall trees and high rises on the opposite side, and an orange and blue sunset with smatterings of clouds.

About the author

A. L. Tilly (he/they) is a 24-year-old Romani, queer, nonbinary, transmasc, disabled poet based in Meanjin/Brisbane, Australia. Their work explores a variety of themes drawn from lived experience, such as identity, grief, nature, Romani culture, and the tender sanctuaries created within queer relationships. You can find more of their work on Instagram @localfoxgoblin.

Photo by A. L. Tilly.