Shapeshifters' Soliquay

 To you, I am fleeting, a spark in a room of steady flames. I am weather, shifting, spilling from sky to sea, uncatchable.

I own this fluid flesh, its soft rebellion, its song of shape without end. Call me strange, call me wrong—

I will still be singing long after your words fall silent, changing, growing, defying the limits you cage me within. 

The poem begins with the imagery of being fleeting, a spark in a room of steady flames, which beautifully encapsulates the experience of existing outside of binary norms. For many non-binary individuals, identity is not a fixed point but rather a spectrum—ever-changing and evolving. Like weather that shifts from sky to sea, a non-binary person navigates a world that often seeks to define them in rigid terms, yet remains as uncatchable as the poem suggests.

The concept of owning one's fluid flesh and celebrating its soft rebellion speaks to the liberation found in embracing one's authentic self. Non-binary identity is about defying the constraints and expectations that traditional gender roles impose. It is a song of shape without end, an ongoing journey of self-discovery and expression.

When the poem invites us to call me strange, call me wrong, it acknowledges the misunderstanding and misjudgement that non-binary individuals often face. Despite societal pressures and the limits others attempt to impose, the poet's voice remains resilient, still singing long after your words fall silent. This defiance and resilience are core to the non-binary experience, where the journey is not about conforming but about continually changing, growing, defying any cages imposed by external forces.

Through this lens, the poem becomes a powerful testament to the non-binary experience—a celebration of fluidity, resilience, and the unwavering pursuit of authenticity in the face of misunderstanding. It encourages readers to appreciate and honour the beauty of identities that do not fit within traditional boundaries, urging us to embrace the diversity of human existence.

With love and solidarity 

Aspen Greenwood