This poem came out of the March 2023 Crowdfunding Creative Jam. It was inspired by a prompt from Dreamwidth user Nsfwords. It also fills the "National Ethics Awareness Month" square in my 3-1-23 card for the March Is... Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by DW user Nsfwords. It belongs to the series Eloquent Souls . "Against All Odds" [Saturday, March 18, 2023] Sander Brandenburg had gone to a conference in honor of National Ethics Awareness Month. He sat on panels, speaking out as a transman about the need for better gender recognition. In the evening, he went to the fundraising gala. Sander hadn't intended on dancing -- he was awful with women -- but when he saw the statuesque Italian beauty, he just couldn't resist. Besides, if she spit on him, he lived in another city and wouldn't see her again. He offered his hand in silent invitation, and she accepted with a nod. They twirled across the floor, graceful and effortless. It was the best dance he could remember, and it made him glad that he had taken the chance. Then Sander saw the pin striped blue-pink-white and realized that he had found someone who would accept him for himself. "Against all odds," he said in an awed tone, and shifted his lapel to reveal his own pin. "You and me against the world," she replied. Then she pulled down the neck of her dress to show him the Words below her left collarbone, now glistered permanent. He pushed up his right sleeve to show hers on his forearm, from the wrist to the elbow. "I'm Sander," he said. "Your words gave me confidence that I would find someone someday." "I'm Adriana," she said. "You gave me hope before we ever met." So they sat down and talked, sharing tidbits about themselves and learning about each other. Sander told Adriana about his work for trans equality. She told him about how transitioning showed her the need for feminism. They were alike, yet different, coming to this common ground from opposite directions, yet arriving comfortably together. They'd found each other against all odds. * * * Notes: Adriana De Palma -- She has olive skin, brown eyes, and long straight black hair. She is tall and curvy. She is a transwoman. Her heritage is Italian-American; she speaks English, French, Greek, and Italian. She is 25 years old in 2016. She typically dresses in shades of black, gray, and white accented with bright red or green. Adriana does presentations about the need for feminism. She met her soulmate Sander Brandenburg at a conference in honor of National Ethics Awareness Month. Her soulmark under her left collarbone reads, against all odds . It gave her hope. Adriana De Palma's soulmark from Sander Brandenburg (under her left collarbone, in his handwriting): against all odds Sander Brandenburg's soulmark from Adriana De Palma (inside his right forearm, in her handwriting): You and me against the world Sander Brandenburg -- He has fair skin, blue eyes, and curly blond hair with a short scruff of mustache and beard. He is a transman. His heritage is American; he speaks English. He is 26 years old in 2016. He typically dresses in earth tones of khaki, brown, green, and gold. Sander does presentations on the need for better gender recognition. He met his soulmate Adriana De Palma at a conference in honor of National Ethics Awareness Month. His soulmark on his right forearm reads, You and me against the world . It gave him confidence that he would find someone someday. Sander Brandenburg's soulmark from Adriana De Palma (inside his right forearm, in her handwriting): You and me against the world Adriana De Palma's soulmark from Sander Brandenburg (under her left collarbone, in his handwriting): against all odds