Silent Love: A Poem of Being Gay in Indonesia

In Indonesia, a land of beauty and grace,

Where mountains soar and oceans embrace, There are those who love with a different heart, Who are forced to hide, to live apart.

For to be gay in Indonesia is a lonely fate, A life of fear and shame, of constant debate, Of hiding in shadows, of living in fear, Of always wondering who might be near.

For in this land of tradition and faith, The love of two men is seen as a disgrace, A sin against God, against nature, against all, A curse to be silenced, a love to be small.

And so they live, these brave, lonely souls, Hiding their love, their hopes, their goals, Living in fear of rejection and pain, Of losing everything, again and again.

For to be gay in Indonesia is to suffer alone, A life of silence, of fear, and of stone, Where love is a crime, and passion a sin, And being true to oneself is a battle to win.

So let us stand with these brave, lonely souls, Let us fight for their love, their hopes, their goals, Let us light a candle in the darkness of fear, And shine a light of hope, of love, and of cheer.

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