Shaped by Wonder
For the women whose steadiness, wonder, and magic shaped the man I became. This poem is for them.
the women
in my life
caught me
at the hinge
at the tether
at the breaking
at the moments
love arrived
like a language
I didn’t speak
teaching me
how to read
its strange cues
while the world
kept misreading
my body
my shape
my energies
as something
it wasn’t
and I stood
soft‑boned
faerie‑born
a man
they couldn’t
categorize
but this morning
two songs
rose in me
when “Girls”
and “I Hope
You Dance”
filled my room
I felt again
their wonder
their steadiness
their magic
braided through
my bones
and I walked
forward knowing
I am shaped
by their strength
and still
entirely
my own
Daniel / Kana
3/8/26
Daniel (Kana) writes at the intersection of queer culture, contemplative practice, and the communities that have shaped his life. His work travels widely and continues to evolve, rooted in the Northwest Radical Faeries, rose societies, and long-standing devotional and artistic lineages.
A classically trained print journalist with two decades of reporting experience, he now mentors emerging writers, serves on editorial boards, and works in community mental health after a career in academe and public service.