Some readers may like to sip into my general blog today,
where I have just posted the dedication poem to Oscar Wilde from my new poetry
collection Tracking the Torchbearer.
I have also included the video from my YouTube channel.
To go directly to my YouTube channel:
You may be interested to know that I am now taking orders for my new collection Tracking the Torchbearer from readers
that would like a signed, personally inscribed copy. The book includes some
100+ poems in seven sections, including a gay section; some gay-interest poems
are also found in other sections where appropriate.
Tracking the
Torchbearer should be listed on
amazon.co.uk shortly (title or author search, R. N. Taber) and will be
generally available from March 26th retailing at £9.99; free
shipping in the UK and a discount on (retail price + shipping) for overseas
readers when ordered directly from me.
As regular readers will know, I publish my collections
under my own imprint because poetry publishers are not happy with poems on a
gay theme appearing alongside poems on other themes. Yet, poetry does not
discriminate so why should we? Besides, I feel it would be hypocritical for a
gay man to publish a collection of poems and ignore his sexual identity.
As far as I am concerned, a poem is a poem is a poem and no
theme is taboo. Sales will pay for a final collection I am already working on
for publication in 2015 when I will be 70; they will also pay for 2nd eds. of
earlier titles that will include revisions of some poems, but will not be
available until after 2015.
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Enquiries to: rogertab@aol.com
Meanwhile...
Today’s poem has not appeared on the blog since 2010 and I
am posting it again today especially for ‘Enrique and Salvo’ who have been in
touch to say they recently came out as partners to friends and family and ‘despite
a few problems to start with, everything has settled down and we are very
happy.’
That is wonderful to
hear, folks!
THE DEFIANT ONES
When I enter you and we are joined
as one,
a fine spirituality embraces us,
centres us in a womb-tomb of earth,
fire
and water, where we become as
nature
intended, taking us into the vast
eternal NOW
we feared until our sexuality
confirmed
its identity
No longer afraid but glimpsing
those ends
where new beginnings are made
to answer the ghosts of childhood
with wisdom,
where ignorance would prey on
lovers
expected to lie down and die for
each other
just as we lie here, you and I,
chancing
a power of love far greater than
the dictates
of religions, promises of
politicians,
rhetoric of personal ambitions
citing the prose
and poetry of a common humanity
taken
from a well-thumbed page in its
history, praising
colour, creed, sexuality, gender
and age,
coffin makers (the world over)
anxious to spread
the word that you and I would die
for each other
than surrender to a lesser power
whose lessons
in glory but give the lie to our
love story
If our bed be a coffin, better to
die here and now
than with a lie on these twin lips
we’ll kiss,
this flesh we’ll devour, its blood
turned to wine,
our bodies as one…
willing the world move on
and leave us alone
[From: On The Battlefields Of Love by R. N. Taber 2010]
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