My soul and being are caught in a constant battle
Where I’m fighting for my right to love
A right preached about as good
Preached about as holy
Preached about as precious
But denied to me and my lover
Sitting within these walls
In pews we listen to the pastor
Preaching of the commandments
Condemning those who disobey
Predicating a future of fire and turmoil
In this I’m reminded of the commandment of love
How it is the “greatest of these”
Yet mine is banished and forbidden
Forgotten within these walls
I fear this fire and burning may be my fate
What if my end comes before I can preach the commandments?
With my love being at the center
Lifted as welcome and holy
Instead of being stomped on
Like the remnants of a flame being put out
Extinguished within these walls
My queerly beloved heart
Which encapsulates immense amounts of passion
Immense amounts of fire
Immense amounts of beauty
Wishes to unravel the systems that tell me I’m dirty
Wishes to flip the script
To be seen within these walls
To show those who have been hurt
From the commandments targeted at them
Like arrows
Notched in a bow and fired from a distance
That these commandments can be their bandage
Their medicinal touch
Their soul’s restoration
Their salvation within these walls
We can become holy
We can become worthy
We can become valued
We can become loved
We can become Children
We can find community
We can find a Savior
We can feel renewal
We can feel welcomed
Even as we remain queer
Queer within these walls
Justis Mitchell
Justis Mitchell is a first-year student at Duke Divinity School.
Yet Alive 