I am no longer gay

I am no longer gay – for fear of homophobia

I am no longer Muslim – for fear of Islamaphobia

I am no longer Asian – for fear of offending non-Asians

I am no longer Pakistani – for fear of being called Paki and my identity is revealed

I am no longer South Asian – for fear of being seen in the wrong continent

I am no longer middle aged – for fear of being placed in a box or being called ageist

I am no longer Woke – for fear of being seen as too politicised or antagonistic

I am no longer brown – for fear of being the wrong shade

I am no longer creative – for fear of being controversial

I am no longer a social warrior – for fear of being trolled and lampooned

I am no longer the Giver – for fear of being taken advantage

I am no longer fighting for Equality – for fear of missing someone who is not seen or heard

I will no longer speak up – for fear of looking a fool

I will no longer wear a label of identity – for fear of being abused

I will no longer wear your perceptions of who I should be.

For I will simply just be me.

Thank you.

 

I’m Still Gay

You can isolate me, seclude me and ostracise me. I’m still gay.
You can mock me, ridicule me and bully me im still gay
You can shame me, blame me, flame me. I’m still gay.
You can throw me off a rooftop, cut me limb to limb, bleed me to death. I’m still gay.
You can hate me, stone me, crush me. I’m still gay.
You can curse me, troll me, try to cure me. I’m still gay.
You can abhor me, try to fix me, condemn me. I’m still gay.

You cant stay silent about my love
Neither will i.
Throw me from the rooftop and i will shout I’m gay.
I will not repent my love

Hate me for who i am
But i will not turn the other cheek
I will accept you all the same

You may put me to sleep
And spit on my grave
But my spirit will still be gay

And i will call and call for generations to come
And you will still seek the devil in my love
For you have tasted the forbidden fruit and died a thousand deaths.

Whilst i have danced a single life and sang a million songs.

What the modern world has taught me

What the modern world has taught me.
The OMG! At 43 i realised fashion is a 20 year cycle
Sports is a multi billion dollar industry, wages of yesterday stars were paltry
Religious people create exclusivity, pushing boundaries and animosity,
Individuals who call for diversity, use the term intersectionality, not realising words spoken were heard in history
Political parties making promises, once they’re in, shun responsibilities
Media thrives on academia lies, social media hurts the eyes,
Addictions & celebrities feed anxieties
Television exploits the reality
Work life balance is a fallacy
Zero hour contracts supports the aristocracy
While poverty spreads there is no democracy
War takes young lives aggressively, those at the top sell lies relentlessly
Patriarchy takes priority in society
Matriarch leaders smell like the monarchy
Emergency services waiting times are lengthy
Educational institutions creating academics with self made theories
Debts drawing people in to commit heresy
Immigration stories sound like similies
Housing crisis provides no safety
Relationships crumble because there’s no stability
Love holds us together
Push for connectivity.

 

 

 

 

We are all fallible

We are all fallible
We all have our foibles & flaws
We are the Spirit & The Light

We are damnation & devils
We are designed to destroy
We are the Compassionate & The Heartfelt

We are the guns of glory
We are the gullible & grief stricken
We are the Survivors & The Soul

(C) Khakan Qureshi

The State of Humanity

I despair at the state of humanity
Those without faith questionning religiosity
Those with religion frowning on sexuality
Those faux superiority spitting on ethnicity
The able bodied mocking those with disability
The patriotic bowing down to patriarchy
Social class creating a world of exclusivity
Selfie absorbed people can’t create harmony
Narcisstic souls break down savagely
When questioned on their “individuality”
Highlighting the differences deliberately
When humans should focus on similarity
When we build a global community
Only then we might achieve equality

The Equality Act 2010

When you want to say I love You

When you want to say I love You
But can’t find the words
Your heart fills with pride
And it feels fit to burst
The mouth runs dry…
Because you know it’s not a lie
Eyes smart with water
Precious moments are not on a meter
Questions run through the mind
Like neon lights constantly online
Wanting to embrace but the distance is too great
Time sweeps by
And the words get caught in the maelstrom of life

100 Gay Men In Chechnya

100 gay men in Chechnya
Singled out by homophobia
Seeking refuge or Asylum seeker…
Persecuted by Russian Torturers
Crucified by Chechen Leader
The actions of police lambasted in UK by a Gay Minister
Petitions are called by political provocateurs
News provided by unknown reporters
Concentration camps or detention centres
No one steps forward to be a mediator
Media reports genuine cases or imitators
Shocked by the news
Shared by social commentators
Putin speaks to Kadyrov the Eliminator
All the people bow down to the Dictator
Wants to rid the gays in Chechnya after Easter
Denying their existence he calls The Punisher
“No reason or evidence to purge gays in Chechnya”
LGBT Activists argue who’s the better campaigner
Mainly in Western culture grow the Protester
where are the marches for the LGBT in India
Who spoke against the gays thrown off high towers
Donations by the day to the fundraiser
Rubs his hands in glee is the Administrator
A signed petition to the German Chancellor
3 anonymous men speak of the horrors
Unnamed sources reach out to the news investigator
No concrete evidence state the distracters
Is it real or elaborate hoaxers
Story spreads over social media
100 men is an accurate number
Is it exact or propaganda
Hidden behind bars we are left to wonder
What ever the truth or how high the number
As the story unfolds it could be mass murder

Of 100 gay men in Chechnya
Singled out by homophobia

Mashal Khan

A child was brought into the world
He was an inquisitive, open minded child.

How do I learn he said
You learn by asking questions they said

…

He went to school
and asked questions
What an intelligent boy they said
I am a smart boy he said
How do I learn about the world he said
You start by asking questions they said.

Then he went to college
This is a safe space they said
I’ve got lots of questions he said.

And he asked and asked until he passed
And off to university he went

Join the discussion and debate they said
Can I ask a question he said

So he asked
And the room turned silent
And on him they turned
And the silence turned to stone

You ask too many questions they said
And shoved him out the room
He’s a blasphemer they said
And pushed him to the ground

Please help me he said
But they stamped on his head
They stamped, stamped, stamped
Until he was dead, dead, dead.

Friendship

A dark cloud has lifted
From a friendship that was gifted
Thought happiness was booted
Out of spite

…

The devil’s work had crafted
Atomic ways and parted
Laughed and applauded
Out of sight

Time and nine months had created
Negative emotions, egos deflated
Two souls had departed
Out of the light

Now spirits have collided
Positive vibes all excited
The friendship that was blighted
Now feels right.

The Far Pavilions

With a heavy heart I wandered the streets

felt the pain of travel upon my feet
Absorbed the culture of an unknown beach
Crossed into lanes for treasures out of reach…
Golden globes from India
I had to eat
Sat in the Pavilions
Under the mid day heat
Walked along the Pier
No one did I greet
Took myself along the promenade
My thoughts did I keep
Sat in a café drank tea
Wanted to weep
Heard jazz music
My soul did not leap
Browsed by bars
Did not take a seat
Welcomed in a church
Heard 99 words in a beat
Invited to dinner
C’est Magnifique
In a strangers’ home
Did we speak

Without a blessing
I fell asleep