Can I?

If I keep, 

If I keep loving, 

Father, can you save me from everything?

Father, can I? Can I still be loving?

Father, tell me, can you still forgive me? 

If I dare, if I dare to tell him

That I don't—I don't hate him, 

But I... I just want to love him. 

But God, He says—He says it's a sin to love him.

Father, can you—can you please convince him? 

Can I go to heaven if I love a boy? 

Father, can I still go to heaven if I love a boy?

Oh, can I go to heaven if I love a boy?

Father, can I go to heaven if I love a boy? 

If I keep, 

If I keep ignoring, 

Maybe I'll feel—I'll feel it was a lie all the time.

But you know too, you know it's no lying.

All I've been doing—all I've been doing is just loving. 

If I say—if I say I'm gay,

Will it... will it be okay? 

Will my... will my body decay?

Father, tell me, am I really wrong to be gay? 

Can I go to heaven if I love a boy?

Father, can I still go to heaven if I love a boy?

Oh, can I go to heaven if I love a boy?

Oh God, can I go to heaven if I love a boy? 

But I keep, 

But I keep loving. 

Oh God, oh God, will You be forgiving?

Can You—can You forgive me for loving? 

Will I... will I be going to heaven if I love a boy?

Father, can I go to heaven if I love a boy?

Oh God, can I go to heaven if I love a boy?

Can I still go to heaven if I love a boy? 

Can I? 

Shahur Khan

Meet the Author:

Hi, I’m Shahur Khan—a poet, a dreamer, and someone who finds solace in the words I write. Poetry is more than just an art form to me; it’s my home, my truth, and the purest way I express my emotions. I write in English, Hindi, Oriya, and Urdu, often exploring themes of spirituality, love, self-reflection, and LGBTQ identity. My work isn’t about seeking validation; it’s about embracing my inner world, which I cherish more than anything else. As a gay person, I see beauty in being my authentic self, and my words are a reflection of that truth.