Felispeaks: ‘We’re still scared of bleeding rainbow blood’

To mark Pride Month, to highlight ongoing issues faced by the LGBTI+ community and to support the work of BeLonG To youth services, poet Felispeaks reimagined the song Over The Rainbow, to accompany the photograph below, Rainbow Blood, by Alex Telfer.

Somewhere over the rainbow,
The night continues underground; The gays are meeting for drinks in bars designed for just them, and men with gentle knuckles,
Because we’re still scared.

Somewhere over the rainbow,
Drag queens cram into tight spaces - 
There’s safety in the number of people you don’t have to explain your love to,
Because we’re still scared.

Somewhere over the rainbow,
All of Dorothy’s friends have come down from the high; the mighty propped us up on.
We’ve packed up and pocketed, the streamers from the day of celebration gone.
Because we’re still scared.

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Somewhere over the rainbow,
Avoiding violet bruises and bloody lips,
We find the tribes we Belong To and make families of queer friends,
Because we’re still scared.
Of Bleeding Rainbow Blood.

BeLonG To Youth Services is the national organisation for LGBTI+ young people in Ireland, offering advice, information, and crisis counselling. The organisation also campaigns to ensure policy formation and practice is informed by the voice and experiences of LGBTI+ young people. See belongto.org