blake the flake

coat of colors - Linda Joyce

couldn't tell the story 

when it happened 

over a year ago

couldn't tell it because

voices in the larger church 

made it clear 

it was not safe to tell such stories 

especially when i was searching 

for a permanent call

those voices still yammer away

but the fear 

for me

is gone

my fear was freed 

with the joy of a coat 

with many colors

a coat of colors 

worn by an american women 

living in scotland

i'll not ever forget her email

asking if she could put my name on her 

coat of many colors 

she was designing 
to be worn during the general assembly 

of the church of scotland

may i put your name on my coat?

and if i may

how do you want 

your name to appear?

with those two questions 

i stopped on the side of the road

at the top of the hill they call 

seven mile hill 

outside nashville

because you can see for seven miles 

on clear days

on top of seven mile hill 

i cried

i wept 

the heaving kind

but this time 

heaving with joy

when i got myself together 

i emailed 

lindsay 

the american woman

pastor

friend

living in scotland 

yes,

please

put my name on your 

coat of many colors 

i replied

i want my name to appear as 

blake the flake

flake 

the rhyme

that had long been the bane of my existence 

flake coupled with blake 

because it sounded funny

but it also 

carried with it the sting 

of bullies

flake

queer

fag

homo

was the underlying theme

yes

put 

flake 

with my blake 
on your coat with many colors

was my reply 

paint on my name

and wear it in the land 

of my ancestors 

wear it with 

the joy and the pride 

i have finally been 

able to garner for myself

wear it as a 

message

that fear will no 

longer rule 

in my heart

wear my name

blake 

the flake 

wear it 

and know

that you have 

honored me

more than you 

can ever know

wear it

lindsay

the american woman 

pastor

friend

living in scotland

wear it 

and proclaim

the good 

good news!