Gateways
By Thomas Manglona
Fina Sisu, Saipan
I’ve always wondered who I’d be if you stayed
A young, gay Chamorro man drowning in the tale of masculinity — left motherless
You were a gateway to the feminine I yearned to cross
The sound of wind chimes I grew up with
I later learned to be the rattling of the fences
Fenced in, closeted, as if for safekeeping
Nothing is safe here, though
Not spaces
Not me
Not this Poem, unread by You
The feminine energy flows between the air of you and I
Inhale; I remain grounded by the memory of you
Exhale; I decide to climb the gates
In recognition of Pride Month —a time to celebrate inclusion and diversity, while also recognizing the need to continue advocating for equal rights and opportunities for all— Marianas Variety has partnered with the Northern Marianas Humanities Council to celebrate diversity in our community. The submissions are from the Humanities Councils’ Pride Talks writing contest. The Council is pleased to collaborate with Marianas Variety in sharing and publishing the winning submissions every Wednesday for the month of June. All the winning works will also be on display at the NMI Museum and presented at various Pride events throughout the month. For more information about how you can join the Council in celebrating Pride this year, check out nmhcouncil.org or follow the Council on Facebook or Instagram (@670humanities).
NMHC Pride Talks has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy Demands Wisdom. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this feature do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
