Even after all this tragedy

Hunger, death, and worse

A spark of something rare

Through it all

This remains

They won’t take this from us

Pride in who we are

Hope in our heart

Being in community

They can’t take this from us

Because this is love

And love is stronger than any hate

The kind of love

They want to make it seem rare

But it’s not

It’s everywhere

In the bass of the music at our bars

In kisses shared between lovers and strangers

In our stories we pass down

And in every step

Our very existence

Is what love is

And love, my dear

Is what they fear most