Remember Upstairs Poem by Ima Ryma

The year,1973,
A New Orleans gay bar, the place
Called the Upstairs, a refuge be
From discrimination they'd face
In the condemning world outside.
But one night a fireball was thrown.
32 people burned and died.
The world outside - not much shock shown.
Churches and politicians turned
Away from getting involved in
The crime, not wanting to get burned
By being too close to gay sin.

Gays burned to death for who they were,
A still most ignored massacre.