http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber
An Indian student once commented on this poem that first appeared on the blog in 2009. He printed it out to show some
gay friends back home in India. He told me, ‘Gay men in the West are so
lucky that you can be openly gay without being subjected to abuse. In my
country, a person’s sexuality may be the worst kept secret, but a secret it has
to remain.’
Oh, we may not always feel as free
as we would like here in the West as everyone’s behaviour
and movements are more and more closely monitored and/or targeted; by increasingly
technological means, and no less
questionable for that.
But, yes, we should never
take what freedom we have for granted. Nor should we forget it is our birthright, not some almighty favour dished out to us (or repressed, as the case may be) by this society or that.
This poem is a villanelle.
BORN GAY, BORN FREE
Born gay, born free,
it will see me through,
a bold spirit in me
Taking love’s journey
as it would have us do,
born gay, born free
No time for secrecy
preferring out and true,
a bold spirit in me
Making sure bigots see
a right to points of view
born gay, born free
Theirs is the tragedy,
who refuse credence to
a bold spirit in me
Investing in humanity
where equality overdue;
born gay, born free,
a bold spirit in me
Copyright R. N. Taber 2008
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