http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber
This villanelle was written for a young reader who says he is in his teens and feels ‘so guilty’ because he finds ‘...intense spirituality as well as physical enjoyment in gay sex’ while his parents ‘continue to express disgust and want me to see a psychiatrist.’ At least the guy is ‘out’ to his family, and that is half the battle won already. As he becomes more self-confident in his sexuality, hopefully his parents will learn to have more confidence in him as a gay person and in themselves as the parents of a gay son.
Sometimes we need to give ourselves time to adapt to and/or work at improving certain situations and/or relationships; we should not begrudge others the same.
Many of my poems are variations on the same theme, but as my late mother used to say, if something is worth saying it is always worth repeating.
I can only hope my positive take on sexuality encourages anyone made to feel guilty and ashamed by the less enlightened among the heterosexual majority, including some parents and siblings, to shrug off that particular yoke.
Sexuality is part of who we are, and we should never feel ashamed of that, but accept it for what it is, a way to access the wholeness of our being including, for many if not most of us, a spiritual dimension that doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with religion.
Sometimes we need to give ourselves time to adapt to and/or work at improving certain situations and/or relationships; we should not begrudge others the same.
Many of my poems are variations on the same theme, but as my late mother used to say, if something is worth saying it is always worth repeating.
I can only hope my positive take on sexuality encourages anyone made to feel guilty and ashamed by the less enlightened among the heterosexual majority, including some parents and siblings, to shrug off that particular yoke.
Sexuality is part of who we are, and we should never feel ashamed of that, but accept it for what it is, a way to access the wholeness of our being including, for many if not most of us, a spiritual dimension that doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with religion.
Enjoy!
PRIDE AND JOY, THE ZEN OF SEXUALITY
Oh,
joy! In touch with sexuality,
(gay,
lesbian, straight or transgender)
confirming
a unique spirituality
Religion
never had a monopoly
on
the spiritual side of human nature.
Oh,
joy! In touch with sexuality
Acknowledging
our sexual identity
Inspires
selfhood’s greater endeavour,
confirming
a unique spirituality
Where
truth declares itself openly,
bigotry’s acolytes vainly run for cover.
Oh,
joy! In touch with sexuality
No
finer anatomy of individuality
than
its inner eye on integrity’s mirror,
confirming
a unique spirituality
If
love inspires a common humanity,
peace
but asks we respect one another.
Oh,
joy! In touch with sexuality,
confirming
a unique spirituality
Copyright R. N. Taber 2012
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