Shy steel

centuries old redwood  

survived the hottest fire

singed your

brown eyes black

you still smile

Your lips may caress

and show force

kiss the sun

your singularity

helped you run

Into the arms of America

on an Epica starship 

flown by danger

dance by true identity 

promise of less pain

You fear height

and love blue sky

a contradictory world

so fear yourself, Friend

you already soar

Subhi Nahas currently resides in the USA after fleeing Syria, and advocates for rights of LGBTQ refugees.

He has addressed the United Nations, and coordinates information dissemination for others fleeing ISIS and the threat of war.

Richard Gerst is a director, photographer and poet, residing in New York. Gerst contacted Subhi after reading about his journey and asked him to answer a series a questions by email, then used those answers to write a poem about him prior to capturing his portrait.