A Community Poem

          Ridicule is one kind of response to the life and death of Matthew Shepard.  We are looking for other kinds.

In the moments during which he was beaten, Matthew Shepard was alone.  We can't change what happened, but what happened can change us.  He gave himself--not willingly--to this moment.  We will let it be known that we remember.

Tolerance means many things, not all of them easy or ready-made for us.  We can choose to remember Matthew Shepard many ways, but first as a fellow human.  You may or may not know who Mr. Shepard was.  You may or may not agree with his lifestyle.  But we all have a stake in what happened.  We are proud of saying that this is a nation of individuals, all different, but when difference is lived we must recognize how often it goes punished. 

The Matthew Shepard Renga Project | The Matthew Shepard Story | Renga Project Introduction | Renga Project Idea | Submission Guidelines | Guest Editor and Publication Plan