A Dance to the Music of Time

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

This poem is another favourite of mine. Some younger people seem to think we older ones have nothing to look forward to as we get old(er) besides daytime TV. Well, let them think again…

This poem was last seen on the blog in 2008 and is repeated today especially for ‘Andy and Nick’ who are celebrating 45 years of living together culminating in a Civil Partnership last year. Apparently, today is the anniversary of the day they first met way back in 1965. Both are in their 70s now and, by all accounts can still give the young ones a run for their money.

Let’s all wish them well, yeah?

A DANCE TO THE MUSIC OF TIME

By a river, lost in admiration
for a pair of turtle-doves,
a ballet celebration of freedom
across blanket blue skies
though they risk being shot down;
bolder, even by traditions
among societies less inclined
to dispute genetics

Here-and-Now, tell-tale squeeze
of rheumy fingers,
pulse slowing but for doves
painting pictures
on twin canvases for tired bodies
taken by surprise,
inspired to stay ever positive,
and seize the day

Caught out, dancing to the music
of time, earth and sky
making space for us in the heat
of our revival, sunspots
like bright eyes winking approval
at gay lovers last seen
tripping the light fantastic
on the world stage

Copyright R. N. Taber 2004; 2018

[Note: An earlier version of this poems appears in The Third Eye by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2004.]

The Ballad Of Neighbour Joe or G-A-Y meets H-E-T

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

I have to say thank you to US reader ‘Jackson D’ who has bought a copy of my new poetry collection and emailed with some very positive comments about it. Encouragement is always well received! He asked why several poems, including this one, have never appeared on the blog. Well, actually they have, Jackson, back in 2008, but here is one again that I hope everyone will enjoy. [The other poem t Jackson liked is Whatever Happened To Love?  from an earlier collection, Accomplices to Illusion (2007) and I have posted it on my general blog today.]

Jackson, you see, reads both blogs. I shouldn’t have to write a blog especially for gay readers but there are still a lot of straight poetry lovers out there who would have no interest in reading a gay blog. The irony is that many Gay Awareness poems that I post here appear on the general blog at some time or another anyway…and only one reader has ever complained.

I have to say, too, that there are a lot of gay readers out there who only read my gay blog because it addresses gay people, not for just the poetry. Even so, it is very encouraging that most gay readers seem to enjoy the poems too!

Here we are in the 21st century, for crying out loud, and it really shouldn’t matter whether people are gay or straight. We are all part of a common humanity, after all.

Well, aren’t we?

THE BALLAD OF NEIGHBOUR JOE or G-A-Y MEETS H-E-T

I hate queers, neighbour Joe
once said to me, they’re perverts,
don’t you agree?
Not really, I had to say, especially
as I’m gay

He stared, glared, eyes wide
as saucers, lost for words although
his expression said it all;
at last, he managed to get a grip
and curled his lip

Queers deserve to be shot,
he snarled at me, and decent folks
would agree;
I took you for decent, I have to say
but you’re…gay?

I nodded, said conversationally,
so you’ll be getting a gun to shoot me?
He shook his head.
You’re a nice enough person, he said,
I don’t wish you dead

Tell me, he wanted to know,
what it’s all about, this being gay?
Sounds sick to me…
I was taught to loath and despise
(he whispered) ‘sodomy’ 

You have a bad attitude,
I felt inclined to tell him straight,
I’m a top man, me…
but it’s my job pays the mortgage,
not my sexuality

Why should what my partner
and I choose to get up to in bed
matter to you so?
He shook his head, rubbed his jaw,
finally admitted…

I’ll be damned if I know.
You’re right, said neighbour Joe,
it’s none of my business;
blame it on that old song and dance
called ignorance

We shook hands, went on our way,
good neighbours to this day

[From: On The Battlefields Of Love by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2010]