We came here to pray,
eyes clasped, hands closed;
squeezed together between narrow chapel pews.
They inspire us to dream.
We are the ones longing for miracles,
hoping to break free,
to feel whole again, to breathe.
Therefore, we will fight to the end,
and never give up.
We came here to pray;
to recover our strength,
and to rebuild endurance for the journey ahead.
We will stand tall, even on our knees,
and conjure our own miracles if we must.
We will soldier on, hands on heart,
hearts in hand
And we will call out the sins of those who try to rob us of our voice.
We came here to pray for guidance and to serve notice.
We will learn again how to embrace our similar differences
and feel comfortable with ourselves.
We will work harder together
for we now know that the strength to overcome
our common struggles lies within us.
We cannot afford to stand down;
not until the sweet scent of victory lights our way – home.
We came here to pray;
for catharsis, renewal, and hope;
to embrace our dreams and to hold hands even without touching.
Our shared ambition will remain
a beacon that animates our protest
and link our thirst for fairness
like an unbreakable thread of resistance binding our lives together,
forever.
We came here to stay.
We will not leave.
We will not back down
not until our prayers are answered.