Walking Home from the Pride Parade

On the subway home last night from work

A thousand rainbows greeted me

Beads, flags, badges, hats, and t-shirts

The parade had ended, and people were headed home

Beads, hats, and badges were pulled off

The t-shirts were hidden away by jackets

Flags were turned upside down in bags so nobody would see

Couples stopped holding hands and sweet-talking

People broke off in stiff, nervous factions

Anxious about being targeted on the walk home

Or of the disapproval of one's own family

The lights in everyone's eyes quickly dimmed to emptiness

As pride and excitement were replaced with fear and frustration

..........................................................

Last night, on my way home from work

I watched the masses start towards home

But though they had been ten-thousand strong

Each individual walked alone