trans texans who save(d) my life

by SG Huerta

trans texans naming & renaming 

themselves & each other

trans texans grilling elote

in a south austin backyard

trans texans at the zine fest

trans texans with flash tattoos

trailing muscled arms

trans texans loving trans texans

trans texans hugging at protests

trans texans chanting at protests

with newly deepened voices

trans texans intolerant to the sun

trans texans stepping into the san marcos river 

& stepping out reborn

trans texans with trenzas

trans texans cutting each other’s hair

trans texans who know 

there’s no pride in genocide

trans texans who refuse to step foot

in any cop-sanctioned “community” spaces

trans texans at the clothing swap

fat trans texans swapping self love advice

trans texans who know their socialist theory

trans texans who know their radical texas history

trans texans with poetry recommendations

trans texans in the panhandle organizing book clubs

trans texans in the south finding solace in the desert

trans texans in dfw sharing hrt resources & water

after a night at the lesbian bar

trans texans in san anto

bringing the bellyaching laughter

trans texans unafraid to call themselves 

trans texans–

trans texan elders

baby trans texans

trans texans tired of being 

looked down on for our raíces

tejanos trans bilingües

tejanos trans!

trans texans!

trans texans, ¡escucha!

can you feel my love across this giant of a state? 

can you feel it eclipsing all 

oppression & ignorance? 

can you see us growing older & old?

try to see it with me

& i will build it with you