Poem of Love and Joy

During my final year of high school in 2022, I had the opportunity to perform Z. Randall Stroope’s "Amor de Mi Alma", a stunning piece based on a 16th-century love poem. After some time had passed, I began to reflect on the moment and felt inspired to create a similar piece, infused with my own experiences and influences. Thus, I started writing "Poem of Love and Joy". My primary decision and goal for this piece was to compose a love poem that did not address any individual but instead focus on the issues of love from a gay male perspective. The piece delves into the intricacies of queer love, emphasizing its rarity, beauty, and
fragility. It also touches on the inner struggles of self-denial and self-hatred, as well as the external struggles of living in an unsupportive environment and feeling disconnected from others who share similar experiences. These are all issues that I have either personally experienced or observed in others.