Christmas 20**
I don’t know who
or I pretend not to know
but someone in the crowd
says queers deserve to die
and in between all the talk
………of the “is” and “ought”
the greatest gap is the “maybe”
where compassion can start
so me and a baby queer
exchange bitter smiles in the hallway
or they smile and I remain
………………………………silent
let the rage wash over
an elder queer holds me
calms me down
from the “rage that can reveal”
and we sit there alone
but together
silent in our revelation
Author’s Bio
Khashayar “Kess” Mohammadi (He/They) is a queer, Iranian born, Toronto-based Poet, Writer and Translator. They were shortlisted for the 2021 Austin Clarke poetry prize, they are the winner of the 2021 Vallum Poetry Prize and the author of three poetry chapbooks and two translated poetry chapbooks. Their debut poetry collection Me, You, Then Snow is out with Gordon Hill Press. Their second book WJD is forthcoming in a double volume with the translation of Saeed Tavanaee’s The Ocean Dweller from Gordon Hill Press in fall of 2022. Their collaborative poetry manuscript with poet Klara Du Plessis is forthcoming with Palimpsest Press, fall 2023.
