old haunts along pioneer square blocks at night

old haunts along pioneer square blocks at night

may not have spooked up the old feelings like they used to,

but what’s this noise up ahead and the zoetrope

of colorfully-dressed celebrants visible between vertical bars

as we advance up the sidewalk past this outdoor rental space

until we come abreast of the dj and their mixing board

on one side of the high iron fence, with us on the other

suddenly dancing on the sidewalk corner

with several strangers of whom I say to you

as we soon move on, “they should come to our wedding too,”

but of course in that scenario there are no barriers

between anything that brings people together:

no fences dividing up vivacious humanity’s collective thrust,

no laws dividing up bodily autonomy and rights among us,

no life challenges keeping two halves of the same heart apart

just a future so full of openness and connectivity,

it’s like a wedding reception hall as wide as the world

is being built by every stride full of pride in our love

we take together down the aisle of communities far and wide.