I hear so much negativity circling around me all the time that it’s good to finally have a string of positive things happen.
First, the LGBTQA organization at USU held their annual Day of Silence. I believe the national one was held on April 20; however, A-Day (a campus-wide celebration) happened on Friday. Instead of spending time walking around having a blast with friends, dozens of people took vows of silence to remember those who have either died or been silenced. I didn’t do that myself — I felt like I had been silenced too long. I honestly am amazed by how much these college students do in order to build bridges with others, especially the Mormon community.
I did participate more in the improv festival tonight. Four local groups came together and performed to raise money for the Red Cross to use in Japanese relief efforts. Our portion of the show went two-and-a-half hours, but I know people who stayed at that venue for five hours supporting local performance as well as charity. As a troupe, these other groups were somewhat competition to us, but we all came together and experienced a magical night.
I remember days when we said the most important thing we could do as improvisers is bring the improv community together. Tonight, we actually did that. I have a feeling many collaborations will happen in the future.
What follows is a poem I had published in the Sigma Tau Delta regional newsletter in 2010. Rainbows definitely refer to sexual orientation, but I also wonder if this rainbow could be any form of self-expression that stems away from the norm. I used to be a music major at college, and my mother convinced me to change. I’m still not sure if it was for the best.
Have a good evening.
Not Everybody Can Walk Across a Rainbow
But if you do,
The first step is uncertain, shaky,
Like standing on Jello.
If you grab the hand holds
In the blue and green stripes,
Each step gets easier until
You’re at the top
Looking over what looks like
Doll houses surrounded by pine trees
In the green, green valley.
You’re mother might see you sitting
On the purple edge
And get sad
Or worried
Or angry.
She’ll tell you that you’ll fall and break
Your neck, or that she’ll
Disown you, or that she’ll
Take you to live in a cave
Where there are no rainbows,
But you’re there
At the intersection of sunshine and rain
With a puffy white cloud in your palm,
The stormy ones already tipping
Their hats to you.
Chip off a piece to take along,
Your little rainbow geode.
And don’t wait too long–
The climb down is steep
With sharp rocks at the bottom,
And you just might slip
If you’re not careful enough.
It’s scary, I know.
That’s why
Not everybody can walk across a rainbow.
I suppose most stay at the top
And go to the place
Where rainbows go
When they disappear.
B. L. Cook 