The Pride ABCs
By Laura Bradley Rede

A is for April, then May, and now June—
Which means that our favorite day's coming soon!
A is anxious awaiting, excited inside.
We're anticipating LGBT Pride!

B is booths draped with banners. The sun's shining bright.
What a beautiful day to go take in the sights.
C is candy we catch as we stand in the crowd
Cheering on the parade as they march, loud and proud.

D is for dresses, on boys or on girls.
See the beautiful drag queen in diamonds and pearls?
She is dancing to disco! We want to dance, too!
Do you think you can do all the moves she can do?

E is for eating some excellent food.
We've worked up an appetite! We're in the mood
For some cool lemonade, for some hot, spicy fries.
We may even try something that we've never tried.

F is for faith groups and family and friends.
They are riding on floats, all dressed up to pretend.
They are looking so fabulous, feeling so free,
It's easy to see that "we are family"!

G is generous giving. We can volunteer
And join the great group that makes Pride every year.
H is helping it happen, so we can all say
We're happy that we have our own holiday!

I is "I love you" and showing we care
It's "I'm having fun," and it's ice cream to share.
J is joining for justice. There's lots we can do
To remind all the grown-ups that they can share, too!

K is kids of all kinds! It's the stroller brigade!
And these kids aren't just watching—they're in the parade!
L is laughing and learning and looking so fine.
It's lovely to see all these families like mine!

M is for music. We're grooving all day
And moving to every last tune that they play.
M is making up moves. M is marching along.
The melody's magic! They're playing our song!

N is for napping, but who wants to sleep?
Nobody! Not when there are dates we could keep
With new friends and old friends - oh, where to begin?
O is for open-eyed, taking it in!

P is for Pride - what this day's all about.
We are proud to be open and honest and out.
We are proud to be loving. We're proud to be strong.
We are proud to make places where all can belong.
P is picnics and potlucks and protests and more—
All to celebrate people. That's what today's for!

Q is quiet and quilt. There's a big quilt at Pride
And each square holds a memory of loved ones who've died.
Q is queers who won't quit. Though some friends may be gone
They will not be forgotten. Their memory lives on.

R is for rainbows with colors so bright
Wherever you look, it's a beautiful sight.
On flags and on banners, on your shirt and mine,
Each color is different. Together they shine!

S is for signs. We have so much to say
And we'll carry them high every step of the way.
S is stilt-walks and silly-string bringing a smile.
S is shopping for souvenirs. Step out in style!

T is transgender. It's good to be true
And show the world outside the real inside you.
Some women were boys. Some men were born girls.
T is be true to you as you move through the world.

U is umbrella—I hope it won't rain!
Get under until the sun comes out again!
Then I'm up on your shoulders and watching the show
Of unique and unusual people below.

V is for values—the family kind.
I value your family; you value mine.
V is for making one thing very clear:
This is our village. We all matter here!

W is walking. We wander about.
A whole world to see and we're nearly worn out.
Look who else is walking—here are dogs big and small.
Well, walking is work, but it's well worth it all.

X is for checking the survey to say
All of the reasons that we liked today.
Y is one last dance to "YMCA."

Then Z is for zipping along on our way
And for catching some Z's in the car as we ride
Dreaming dreams about how to make every day Pride!

RAINBOW RUMPUS - The MAGAZINE for KIDS with LGBT parents
PO Box 6881, Minneapolis, MN 55406 - kids@rainbowrumpus.org

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