A Child's I's
Copyright 2024 by Heather Rose Brown

CAUTION: This is one of my darker poems. While it does mention death, there's no depiction of anyone being hurt or harmed in it. Still, if something like that might be triggering for you, then please be careful.

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There once was a child
Who thought ze was dead.
Ze saw with hir I's
And lived in hir head.

One day ze came out to
Our cramped little world.
They told hir ze must be
A boy or a girl.

Ze gazed at them fiercely
With hir glittering I's.
Then said very softly,
"Stop speaking in lies."

Then off danced the child
Who thought ze was dead.
Ze came to our world
And went out of hir head.

Haters Gonna Hate (That's Why Lovers Gotta love)

Copyright 2012 by Heather Rose Brown

This Friday I was talking to another transgendered person about a hate crime they had witnessed. I went home with an aching sadness and rage at the unprovoked violence. It wasn't until later while chatting with some friends that I heard someone say, "Haters gonna hate," to which I responded, "That's why lovers gotta love." After thinking about those two phrases last night, I woke up with the following song.

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(sung like an R&B tune with just a hint of funk)

Haters gonna hate.
That's why lovers gotta love.

Listen to me.

Haters gonna hate.
That's why lovers gotta love.

There are too many hearts
filled up with hate today.
There's got to be more love
and that is why I say,

Haters gonna hate.
That's why lovers gotta love.

Sing it with me.

Haters gonna hate.
That's why lovers gotta love.

If you hate a hater,
then you're a hater too.
Respond to hate with love,
and that love will be true.

Haters gonna hate.
That's why lovers gotta love.

One more time now.

Haters gonna hate.
That's why lovers gotta love.

I Kissed a Boy
Copyright 2021 by Heather Rose Brown

This is a song inspired by Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl", but with a transgender twist. Enjoy!

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Never seen a boy so delicate
Till the convention
Across the crowd he caught my eye
Got my attention
I strolled up to his booth
He flashed a smile at me
Sign said kiss for one buck
Funds go to charity

I kissed a boy and I liked it
The feel of his silky lipstick
I kissed a boy just to try it
I hope my girlfriend don't mind it
It felt so wrong
It felt so right
Don't mean I'm in love tonight
I kissed a boy and I liked it
I liked it

I grinned at him and asked his name
He grinned back and blushed
Then he whispered Kissme Again
That's when my pulse rushed
It's not what, gay girls do
Not how they should behave
My head gets so confused
Hard to obey

I kissed a boy and I liked it
The feel of his silky lipstick
I kissed a boy just to try it
I hope my girlfriend don't mind it
It felt so wrong
It felt so right
Don't mean I'm in love tonight
I kissed a boy and I liked it
I liked it

Pretty boys are so magical
Soft skin, pink lips, so kissable
Hard to resist so touchable
Too good to deny it
Ain't no big deal, it's innocent

I kissed a boy and I liked it
The feel of his silky lipstick
I kissed a boy just to try it
I hope my girlfriend don't mind it
It felt so wrong
It felt so right
Don't mean I'm in love tonight
I kissed a boy and I liked it
I liked it

I'd been listening to the song, Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield, when I started wondering what the song might be like if a few of the words were changed. The results of that musing can be found in the lyrics below. :)

Jessi's Girl
by Heather Rose Brown
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Jessi is a friend.
Yeah, I know she's been
A good friend of mine.
But lately something's changed
That can not be undone.
Jessi's looking for a girl,
And I want to be the one.

And she'll watching me with those eyes.
And she'll be lovin' me with that body.
I just know it.
Yeah she'll be holding me in her arms late, late at night.

You know, I wish that I was Jessi's girl.
I wish that I was Jessi's girl.
I would become a woman for that.

I'd play along with the charade.
There wouldn't seem to be a reason to change.
You know, I'll feel so silly,
When I start talking cute.
Then I'll tell her that I love her,
But the point is probably moot.

'Cos she'll be watching me with those eyes,
And she'll be lovin' me with that body.
I just know it.
And she'll be holding me in her arms late, late at night.

Yeah, Jessi's girl.
I wish that I was Jessi's girl.
I would become a woman.
I would become a woman for that.

And I'm lookin' in the mirror all the time,
Wondering what she would see in me.
It's been funny,
Nothing else seems to rhyme.
Ain't that the way
Love's supposed to be?
You know, I would become a woman for that.

You know, I wish that I was Jessi's girl.
I wish that I was Jessi's girl.
To be Jessi's girl,
I would become a woman for that. Yeah
Jessi's girl.
I wish that I was Jessi's girl.
I want to be Jessi's girl.

This is a song that floated into my head this morning. If you can, try to imagine it as a capella with a slow-beat finger snapping in the background. The words in italics are meant to be heard in a deeper voice with more of a monotone than the regular text. This song kinda deals with...well...wanting to be a pretty girl. ;)

Pretty Girl
Copyright 2007 by Heather Rose Brown

I wanna be a pretty girl.
I wanna be a pretty girl.

a pretty girl

I shave my legs
Then I shave my face.
Make sure my breast forms
Are in place.

and that's because

I'm gonna be a pretty girl.
I'm gonna be a pretty girl.

are you a girl

Slip on a wig
And cute high heels.
I wanna know what a
real girl feels.

are you for real

Oh yes I am
A pretty girl.
And that's because
I'm a pretty girl.

Smile
Copyright 2014 by Heather Rose Brown

This is a song about someone who's missing someone standing right in front of them. Any rhyming is accidental, and the structure isn't exactly symmetrical, but the emotion in these lyrics come straight from the heart.
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Hello there.
Forgive
My staring.

It just feels
Somehow
I know you.

And I just
Needed
To tell you,

Boy you smile
Just like a girl
I used to know.

And I know
That you
Are not her.

Still your smile
Feels so
Familiar.

And my heart
Will not
Stop aching.

'Cause you smile
Just like a girl
I used to know.

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I know it's stupid
But I kept hoping
She was just hiding
Inside of you.

I couldn't handle
All of the changes
That were erasing
that girl I loved.

Now I'm regretting
How I reacted.
Can you forgive my
Running away.

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Since that day
I have
Been hoping

I could see
Just one
Of your smiles.

Cause you seem
Just like a boy
I'd like to know.