Under the cloak of darkness
they journey out of hiding
to a secret desert oasis that
has always welcomed them.
Tonight they gather in the
greatest number, abandoning
caution and ignoring warnings
they may be compromised by
the release of immense energy.
The joyful reunion unleashes
deep emotions that had been
repressed far too long for fear
of persecution and death.
Suppressed passions rise
steadily and intensely,
until the desert air quietly,
yet violently, erupts into
surging, bursts of orange.
The sudden blinding light
penetrates the night sky,
illuminating the mountains,
valleys, and the great sea.
The world awakens long
before sunrise to a new
kind of dawn, of a people
wanting only to love freely
and openly, even in the
brightest light of day.