Saturday 28 June 2014

Table Talk

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

Whenever it is Gay Pride Day in London, those of us unable to join the march and celebrations for one reason or another will be there in spirit, glad for UK society’s (generally) acknowledging Gay Rights; hopeful, too, that those societies where bigotry, in any shape or form, continues to have the upper hand, may yet learn to respect the fact that we all share a common humanity, and humanity turns on peace and love not socio-cultural-religious prejudices.

TABLE TALK

My love and I sit at a table
toasting us in red wine,
pledging peace in our time

My love and I sit at a table
laughing over bad jokes,
enjoying this quality time

My love and I sit at a table
reliving the bad times,
society pandering to bigotry

My love and I sit at a table
remembering gay folks
denied quality time together

My love and I sit at a table,
haunted by times past,
bigots refusing to move on

My love and I sit at a table,
always making the most
of any quality time together

My love and I sit at a table
toasting us in red wine,
pledging peace in our time

Copyright R. N. Taber 2010

Thursday 26 June 2014

Sunbather

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

Apollo, the sun god of mythology was reputed to be bisexual. Perhaps that is why (for anyone, gay or straight) basking in some everlasting summer of love is much like basking in the sun under blue skies, not a cloud on the horizon. As for any rain clouds that might happen along…out of sight, out of mind in a world where it is probably only love that keeps us going, inspires us to rise out its worst storms and convinces us things can only get better…

Photo: Super Paradise (gay-friendly) Beach, Greece

THE SUNBATHER

I have loved your body
as a sunbather, the glowing sun,
letting its heat take me in,
as a kind person might a stranger
enduring hard times ...

I have loved your body
as a weary pilgrim, the sun’s rays
licking at the flesh,
as a child eye might someone else's
ice cream cone

I have loved your body
as a small child, lost and found,
will enjoy embraces,
or a lonely person the homely smile
of a passer-by ...

I have loved your body
much as someone making their way
in a misshapen world
finds inspiration in experiences
of its finer arts

I have loved your body
much as a sunbather, the glowing sun,
letting its heat take me in
where we are shown each other
as we are ... 

I have loved your body
much as a small child, lost and found,
welcomes peace of mind
as a gay person might the goodwill
of a cleric

I have loved your body
as someone making their way
in a divisive world
takes inspiration from a gay ethic
over centuries ...

I have loved your body
as a shadow at the edge of time
slipping into the light,
left in peace to create the landscape
of eternity

Copyright R. N. Taber 2014

Tuesday 24 June 2014

A Summer Storm


Every relationship has its ups and downs; gay relationships are no different from any other. Such is life, love, and human nature...

A SUMMER STORM 

Spirit as heavy
as clouds hanging
dark and low;
body struck dumb
by lightning flashes
of disillusion

Rain on the face
reminiscent of tears
for a world all but 
giving up on us,
and my storming off
without a word

Your kisses, honey
on the tongue of one
who’s like a bee
looking to the hive
for reasons to weather
a summer storm

Heading for home,
wretched, frightened…
Suddenly, sunshine,
birds singing, a world
shouting joyfully if only
because it can

I see you waiting
on the step, drenched,
shoulders hunched;
Storm over, still raining,
but ready to pull together
for a new beginning

Time enough later
for questions, answers,
and finding words…
For now, seeing nature
working its magic for us,
we gay lovers

Copyright R. N .Taber 2001; 2014

[Note: An earlier version of this poem first appeared in an anthology, In the Summertime, Poetry Now (Forward Press), 2001 and subsequently in  First Person Plural by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2002.]



Sunday 22 June 2014

Taking on the Bogeyman


As a child, I was taught to despise gay people. As a gay youth, and young man I learned (the hard way) to respect and feel good about myself.

It is only now, in my late 60s, that I can forgive the bigots for the torment they put me though. They were, for the most part, products of their generation.

What I cannot forgive, though, is that leading bigots worldwide are still putting gay men and women through the same torment. Is it not high time the civilized world got real about the deeper meaning of ‘civilized’ instead of scratching the surface?

Certainly, it is a harsh indictment on the 21st century so far that it continues to let these pathetic, spiritually unenlightened people who hide behind various socio-cultural-religious masks (likely to be seen by the even less enlightened as the respectable face of morality) continue to get away with corrupting humanity. Let these Bogeymen that have haunted generations stay under the bed, gather dust (and hopefully choke on it) while we sleep in peace, wake refreshed, ready willing and able to take on his like  whenever and wherever in the cold light of day...

Yes, we can point the finger at economic, political and religious culpability and plenty of it. But even if the sorry state of our world is down to such issues, humanity isn’t. Humanity is down to each and every one of us.

Whatever a person's colour, creed, sex or sexuality, no one is too small in the grand design of things to make a difference for the better (or too big to avoid comeuppance).

TAKING ON THE BOGEYMAN

I may well be your jailer,
keeping you prisoner of your skin,
making sure you dare not
let truth, hope and peace enter in
where even few angels will go
taught to know that God
would have them keep
well clear or become infected
with doubt and fear

You may well see me
as a mirror to all you are not
and all you would be…
but for the Bogey Man still peering
over your shoulder,
poised to leap on you before I’ve
even begun to make a case
in defence of truth hope and peace
deserving justice

Think of me as a friend,
at your side through thick and thin,
making sure you’ll not refuse
to let truth, hope and peace enter in
wherever you choose to go,
unafraid to let the world know
you refuse to be a prisoner
of its second skin, but chose to show
bigotry cannot win

See sexuality take on the Bogey Man
or mistake his reflection for your own

Copyright R. N. Taber 2014


Friday 20 June 2014

Director's Cut OR Feeding Imagination in 3D Stereo Surround


I don’t know about you but some movies (especially gay movies) have had me wriggling in my seat...with more than just wishful thinking...!

DIRECTOR’S CUT or FEEDING IMAGINATION IN 3D STEREO SURROUND

A heat’s on, dripping
from the screen; sweet seduction,
as a celluloid carnality
slips into sub-reality mode,
sure to get under the skin
of what passes for conventional
identity

Brushing a stranger’s thighs
in a hard seat, weaving dangerous lies,
in a cold sweat…
Movie lovers doing okay, 
their wonders to perform, overt sexuality
turning blue buffs on before and after
the lights go down;

Day returns to Babylon
outside office hours; madding crowd
booking into film theatres
(alias Smith and Jones) always up
for the best lines,
leading roles, directing the action, 
soul for soul

Close shot: penetration,
ecstasy (love’s rolling stone)
Beautiful people, amen.
Small sacrifice, a tell-tale stain
on integrity’s underwear
(will clean) - Cinema’s jest,
illusion

Copyright R. N. Taber 2000; rev. 2013

[Note: An earlier version of this poem appears in  Love and Human Remains by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2001.]

Thursday 19 June 2014

Images of Love or G-A-Y, Telling it as It Is (and Why Not?)


Readers often comment that many of my love poems could be written for anyone, whether gay or heterosexual. That is precisely the point I am making and why I include poems on a gay theme in general collections rather than publish them separately.

We all want to love and be loved; it is (surely?) the same for us all, worldwide, regardless of our colour, creed, sex, or sexuality...

If I were to comment along those lines in some countries (Uganda, Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia to name but a few) I would probably be imprisoned or even executed. In a predominantly gay-friendly West, we should never forget that when we take holidays abroad. Similarly, people from those countries living or visiting here have no right to attack our way of life. As for me, I would never visit a country where attitudes and/or laws regarding same sex relationships are ignorant and offensive or where other Human Rights abuses are commonplace.

We have always had socio-cultural-religious homophobes here in the UK, too, of course; their numbers continue to increase significantly, and will continue to do so all the while the efforts of successive governments to embrace multiculturalism are as ill-conceived and poorly judged as they have been from the start.

Call me naive if you like, but I will never understand why the act of recognizing a person’s Human Rights is often considered ‘liberal’ rather than simply humane since not to do so has to be one of the worst forms of inhumanity. It is even worse still when holier-than-thou types hide behind their religion, whatever it may be. Religion is a faith, not an excuse for bigotry. Religious bigots are not only letting themselves down but also their religion. The main reason I rejected religion long ago (years before I realized I am gay) is its bigotry or, rather, the bigoted interpretation so many religious leaders and their followers choose to give to various Holy Books.

Oh, but enough of division and bigotry, and let's get back to love.

IMAGES OF LOVE or  G-A-Y, TELLING IT AS IT IS (AND WHY NOT?) 


I sought and hoped to find you,
elusive though you were;
Each night I’d dream about you,
though your image a blur;
I’d reach out to you with heart
and soul, achieve my goal,
only for the cold light of day
to expose as nothing more
than wishful thinking, hope
without real foundation,
figment of a child’s imagination,
a comfort in escaping
now and then from the daily toil
of trying to survive a growing
desperation, find a way
to live, compatible with, oh, such
longing, such need

On images of love, we feed

Each night I dream of you still,
your image strong and true;
I reach out to you with heart
and soul, achieve my goal;
when day breaks up my reverie,
I retrieve all the pieces,
cherishing a reality that makes
my own parts complete,
savouring the warmth of you
since last we embraced,
recalling, vividly, every detail
in your face, every nuance
of our being together even when
apart, once-lonely hearts
of love and peace assured,
a life compatible with, oh, such
longing, such need

On images of love, agreed

[From: The Third Eye by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2003}


Wednesday 18 June 2014

A Summer Place


We do not have to make love to be intimate with its finer feelings although there is no disputing (surely?) that lovers have a head start. 

As for the world’s gay lovers, what’s so different about being gay anyway? We are all but vulnerable human beings born to run the gamut of human nature since the beginning of time, and quite possibly way beyond it…

A SUMMER PLACE 

A wintry wind carries your voice
along nature’s highways and byways,
to bring me to that special place
where we can always be together 
and love each other

A wintry rain brings your kisses
to soak my body in as sweet a passion
as any romantics ever felt
who only ever wanted to be together
and love each other

A wintry sunshine teases me
and makes me laugh, as you always do,
creating smiles (no tears)
where joyful thoughts join us together
for loving each other

A wintry twilight embraces us,
one body, one spirit, a moment in time
created with carnal knowledge
of a life-force summoning worlds apart
to come together

No wintry darkness descending
can deprive us of summery days ahead
who are out, gay, and free
to go where we can always be together
and love each other

Copyright R. N. Taber 2012



Tuesday 17 June 2014

Celebrating Sexuality


It has been a struggle for many of us gay men and women around the world to assert ourselves among an intrinsically homophobic heterosexual majority; for many others, the struggle continues while various socio-cultural-religious 'betters' continue to hound  as many of us as they can into a closet life by convincing them that homosexuality and transgender are an offence against the God of Love they profess to serve. 


I had decided by the time I was 14 years-old that not only was I gay, but also religion was not for me, and turned to Earth Mother. It was the right decision for me, but I would say to anyone in the worldwide LGBT community that religion and sexuality are not incompatible; over the years, it has been my pleasure and privilege to meet a significant number of religious people - of all faiths - who refuse to believe that any God of Love would turn His (or Her) back on anyone. It has also been my personal experience that many religious leaders will say one thing to the media and another to their congregations.
Gay, straight or transgender, our sexuality is an essential part of our whole identity; as I have said many times, it is the whole that counts. There is every cause to celebrate and feel confident about the contribution our sexuality makes to who we are.  (It is perhaps  worth noting that the vast majority of gay-friendly straight guys feel self-assured enough in their sexuality not to feel either hostile towards or threatened by gay men.)  


Those of us who have managed to rise above many of the problems imposed on us due to our sexuality have good cause to celebrate. Indeed, sexuality itself is cause for celebration since it is an integral part of who we are and everyone is entitled to celebrate his or her identity; our sexual identity is every bit as important as any sense of social, cultural, religious or political identity if not more so for its being a natural part of who we are as opposed to being driven by external forces which, more often than not, have ulterior motives.


CELEBRATING SEXUALITY 

Forget the lonely years
of coming to terms
with who we are and the pain
of ‘Coming Out’

Let’s celebrate

Love is a precious thing
(who can ever forget?)
nor the love of two gay people
any less so for that

Let’s celebrate

There will always be some
left failing to reason out
a gay person’s lot? - well, yes,
but so what?

Let’s celebrate

If life and love don’t
always work out
as we hope?  Well, life’s like that,
gay or straight

Let’s celebrate

Congratulations to gay men
and women everywhere,
nor bisexual or transgender folks
shall we forget

Let’s celebrate

Our sexuality does us proud,
and love is what life’s
all about, though sometimes
we come to it late

Let’s celebrate
What the heck? We are who
we are, and proud of it;
the world can take us or leave
us for that

Let’s celebrate

It’s so good to be - alive!
Let no one say different,
and if they do the chances are
they’re not…

Copyright R. N. Taber 2014


[Note: an earlier version of this poem appears in On the Battlefields of Love, by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2010.]










Monday 16 June 2014

Squaring up to Gargoyles


Sadly, hostile forces in the world (mostly human) confront and would diminish if not defeat us at every turn. We can but square up to them and trust in the kinder qualities of nature and human nature to see us right. True, that trust will not always be justified; we can but hope…

Nor should we (gay or straight) ever underestimate the power of love to expose its adversaries for the disgrace to humanity that they are. Yes, including those (worldwide) who advocate and take cover behind certain socio-cultural-religious traditions by way of excuses.

To love, be sure true humanity will allow the final victory in mind and spirit if not always the body playing host at any given time…

SQUARING UP TO GARGOYLES 

Shoreline under siege, its conscience angrily
taking us to task

Storm clouds hanging low, seagulls screaming,
love demanding answers

Waves like gargoyles daring us run the gamut
of our passions

Ghosts, observing from heaven’s towers as we
repeat their mistakes

Humanity, demanding we honour its spiritual
obligations to love

Love, determined to spare its native spirituality
the temporal conventions

Conventions, egging us on, applause in the ears
like thunder

Wind, howling like hunting hounds homing in
for the kill

Can’t think or speak. Storm, a coffin lid poised
to slam shut

Suddenly, rays of watery moonlight clambering
over the dark’s ramparts

On battlefields of sea and shore, love’s coalition
forces converge on despair…

Wind and waves, rearing and roaring, gargoyles
given a make-over

No time to die, but love, a victory nature intends
for us all

Lovers, regardless of race, creed, sex or sexuality,
squaring up to gargoyles

Love, following a natural order eroding all history
my have chiselled in stone

Copyright Taber 2010; 2016

[Note: An earlier version of this poem appears in On the Battlefields of Love: poems by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2010.]

Sunday 15 June 2014

A Working Relationship


As a rule, entering into a relationship with a work colleague is not a good idea.

There are, of course, exceptions to every rule, especially when you have desperately been trying to read someone’s body language for ages, and then...

A WORKING RELATIONSHIP

You brushed past me in a corridor
and I froze;
when I looked, you were looking too,
scratching your nose;
eyes firing questions at each other
found no answers
(none we cared to probe too closely);
we went our own ways
as we meant, although not quite,
for haunting each other’s
every move and thought for days
on end

Did I perhaps want you for a friend,
I kept asking myself?
(trying to put you out of my mind)
or was there more,
desire of another kind coursing me,
heating my blood,
pumping heart and pulse faster
than ever before?
I’d tell myself I had a fever that
would pass…
but it dogged my every footstep,
grew worse

You brushed past me in the corridor
on another occasion;
we paused, unsure how to establish
a reason;
you licked your lips and I licked mine,
tongues frozen,
alter egos debating our sexuality
head-on;
We shook hands. Your palm plied mine
with passion,
rhythm of your name exploding in me
like an orgasm

Colleagues, we still haunt the corridor;
lovers, afraid of ghosts no more


Copyright R. N. Taber 2008

Friday 13 June 2014

Running with Dinosaurs


Once, I had a boyfriend, Simon, who had only just got around to telling his family he is gay, and took a little longer to break it to them that I was the new boyfriend. Simon’s family was not exactly overjoyed, either with his being gay or my part in it all.  

It was all a long time ago and Simon has been with his partner for many years now. I see them now and then; they are very close. Both families attended their Civil Partnership two years ago.

Now, this may not be a particularly good poem, but I never could resist a happy ending…

RUNNING WITH DINOSAURS 

I so hate it that my son is gay,
a dad confided in me,
nor can I find the words to say
I’m ashamed of his sexuality

It’s just not true I love him less,
the same dad reassured me,
but nature didn’t provide an anus
to be used other than…naturally

I’ll love him whatever his choice,
this dad confided in me,
but you can’t expect me to rejoice
that he has a boyfriend, surely?

True love is unconditional, I said,
as good parents, siblings,
partners and friends take as read
above all things…

It’s easy enough for you to say,
the dad confided in me,
you don’t have a son who’s gay,
letting down the whole family

Of course I’m proud of the lad,
his dad reassured me,
and since he’s not turned out bad,
I know it’s thankful I should be

If families can’t see eye to eye,
this dad, a cleric, told me,
let’s hope and pray we’ll get by,
let live, love, and…sexuality

I took comfort from our discourse
that my boyfriend will be okay;
some dads may run with dinosaurs,
but love would win the day

Copyright R. N. Taber c1983


Sunday 1 June 2014

A Singular Take on Moon Shadows

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

Whatever our ethnicity, creed, gender or sexuality, love does not discriminate. Moreover, its continuum across time and space contributes positively to our future, leaving the small-minded, ignorant, socio-cultural-religious bigots among behind for all their hue and cry…

I may speak as a gay man, but of course it isn't only gay people worldwide who are attacked for falling in love and leaping socio-cultural-religious trenches. We only have to look at the Sudan right now where a Muslim woman faces a barbaric death for falling in love with and marrying a Christian. Others, too, worldwide are persecuted for various socio-cultural-religious reasons. Whatever happened to civilisation...?

Now I well remember gazing into the night sky with my late partner many years ago. We were going through a rough patch at the time although our troubles were coming at us from outside not inside our relationship. ‘Hey, look, he cried, ‘The Old Man in the Moon is smiling. Well, he must be able to see what we can’t from all those light years away so I guess we should stop worrying, take each day as it comes and...be happy, yeah?'

I agreed, so we did, and we were during the short time we had together before he died. Even so, love never dies and we remain close.

A SINGULAR TAKE ON MOON SHADOWS

We lay, my gay love and I,
in craters of the moon,
watching satellites crash by,
guiding stars shot down;
of sanctuary, we saw no sign
for such as you and I,
and only craters of the moon
offered us even shelter

Saw the galaxy disintegrate
as The Old Man warned
humanity of tempting a fate
worse than Armageddon
save for we who shall remain
to dare live and let live,
give our all to starting over
in peace and love

In time, may all gay lovers lie
among craters of the moon,
guiding lights in a darker sky
than any heavens deserve,
on the killing fields of bigotry,
see politics and religion
surrender centuries of hypocrisy
to a common humanity

Gay lovers, see the Old Man smile
and go (for us) that extra mile

Copyright R. N. Taber 2008, rev. 2014