A Fluid Thing, I Am

Abstract

Realising and accepting your queer self is such a freeing turning point in one’s life. In this poem, I relate my pansexual journey to water and all its fluid and multifaceted properties. This poem was originally created for a class assignment that required us to write an extended metaphor in any genre we desired. I decided to write a poem, as poems do not have to abide by certain conventions or follow a certain structure. Therefore, they are fluid. I also shaped the poem in a curved, rippling style to imitate a river and the movement of water. Throughout, the poem also bends around images of frogs that relate to the content of the poem. Frogs are notoriously symbols of bisexuality, as they are both land and water animals, and bisexuality and pansexuality overlap in many interesting ways. I also designed the frogs in a childlike style (as you would expect in a children’s book), because I wanted to represent how my pansexual awakening allowed me to embrace my inner child and to honour my younger self who always felt unsure about herself. Overall, this piece is all about the power and freedom that comes with embracing your queerness.