Once Upon a Queer: Part II - Prism Palace
Prism Palace took place at Afterglow NYE 2024. Check the photos from the event here, and read the poem below. The part I: Once Upon a Sea Man can be found here.
From the pirates’ plank and the volcano’s roar,
The villagers escaped to adventure some more.
Through danger and darkness, their courage had grown,
And now in a dark tunnel, they stood, together, not alone.
Through the shadowy tunnel, the villagers passed,
Their footsteps echoing in darkness so vast.
Until a light flickered, expanding in their sight,
Revealing the Glittering Grotto, shimmering in the night.
Together they’d found comfort, effort, and might,
They were glad to be alive and no danger in sight.
The relief spilled over, like an embrace warm and dear,
They reached out to each other and pulled themselves near.
Above them, the ceiling sparkled and shone,
With galaxies shimmering inside the gemstone.
Around them crystals! Gems! Lots of big shiny rocks,
With a palace high-up with walls of dazzling blocks.
There were gemstone houses carved into the walls,
Glittering shining and bright like frozen waterfalls.
Neon hues reflected, bright and bold,
Filling the villagers’ hearts with wonder untold.
But the villagers had come to do more than gaze;
They had a mission, a purpose, a path to appraise.
Someone stood waiting, a gossamer figure cloaked in light,
Who spoke of an arch tall and old, it was a quite a sight!
“Beyond the great masquerade lies a large gate,
An enchanted arch will determine your fate.
But first, you must pass through the royal hall,
To seek and find truths tonight, in our great big ball.”
The villagers knew now what they had to do,
Their journey required it—they’d see it through.
Though fear clung to some, and doubt to the rest,
They would embrace their fears and pass this test.
They entered the gala, masks crafted with care,
Each one a facet of the soul that they wear.
The villagers stood awestruck, caught in a trance,
In a place where reality and dream seemed to dance.
The hall was alive with others masked and concealed,
A gathering of beings whose truths were unrevealed.
The villagers joined, each with their glimmering guise,
Hiding behind them the truth in their eyes.
The guide watched closely from shadows unseen,
As the villagers mingled in the glittering scene.
In the light’s reflections, the truth lay bare,
Challenging each to consider what they dare.
They spoke of old fears, of facades they had worn,
Of walls that they’d built in the world so forlorn.
Each story unraveled, layer by layer,
Till they found their true selves beneath all the glare.
The masks grew heavy, a burden too great,
And midnight approached with the ticking of fate.
As the hour struck twelve, a hush filled the air,
The villagers stood ready, stripped of all care.
One by one, they removed what had shielded their face,
And in that unveiling, they found a new grace.
They saw in each other no judgment or spite,
But reflections of courage in the shimmering light.
The grotto, now glowing with a softer embrace,
Reflected their souls in its shimmering space.
The gemstones seemed brighter, the caverns more clear,
For they had faced shadows and made them disappear.
“The enchanted arch lies beyond this grand space,
All those unburdened will find their next place.
You’ve shed the illusion, you’ve let your truths shine,
Now step through the portal, don’t hold up the line.”
The villagers gathered, eyes bright with resolve,
Through the Glittering Scape, their spirits evolved.
A celestial gate shimmered into their view,
A swirling abyss of deep silver and blue.
They clasped hands together, ready to go,
Through the archway of stars to see what it’d show.
With courage renewed, they stepped through the gate,
Into the unknown—a future they’d create.
Off our villagers go! Their hearts feeling light!
Time for an intermission, that’s all for tonight.
April 12, 2025, we’ll meet by the light of the moon.
