To Love, the Victory

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

[Update, 13/5/18: So-called Islamic State have said it is responsible for the latest terror attack on ordinary people going about their own everyday lives, this time in Paris. France, along with the whole civilised world remains defiant against these people. Human nature is such that, to the end of time,  the power of love and respect for its finer intentions will always triumph over hate, hate crime and a malicious stereotyping that I dare say will always be with us just as its perpetrators will always fail to acknowledge that they are, in reality, but wasters and losers.] RNT

Now, a number of readers have asked me to repeat the link to my (very) informal poetry reading on the 4^th plinth in London’s Trafalgar Square back in July 2009; it was my contribution to Antony Gormley’s One & Other ‘living sculpture’ project that ran 24/7 for 100 days during which time 2,400 ordinary people were invited to do their ‘own thing’ for an hour. I included some poems on a gay theme among others. [The entire web-stream is now archived in the British Library.]

http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20100223121732/oneandother.co.uk/participants/Roger_T  [For now, at least, this link needs the latest Adobe Flash Player  and works best in Firefox; the archives website cannot run Flash but changes scheduled for later this year may well mean the link will open without it. Ignore any error message and give it a minute or so to start up. The video lasts an hour. ] RT 3/18

Meanwhile…

Photo: taken from the Internet

Let blinkered homophobes say what they will, the love two gay or transgender people share runs as true and stands every chance of lasting as long as that shared by any heterosexual couple. Nor is it likely to be frowned upon by any God so those who believe God is Love need have no fear that their sexuality in any way compromises their religion. As for those socio-cultural-religious bigots who may well tell you otherwise, plainly their capacity for love (other than for themselves) is sadly lacking. Even, so, human nature's capacity for love is - and always has been - far  stronger than any rogue capacity for hate as we continue live in hope of a better, kinder world.

This poem has not appeared on the blog since 2010 and is a favourite of mine.

TO LOVE, THE VICTORY

I tried to kill my love (it would not die),

banish emotions that refused to go;

Some said you were the guilty one (not I)

those enemies of love who cannot know

It takes two to begin a love affair

and two, again, to bring the shutters down

yet only one to bring true love to bear

on a heart growing dark and all but done

I begged another chance to defy them

who always said our love could never be;

dare I say it’s the singer, not the hymn

shall raise us to rousing tunes of glory?

Still, some gossip and spread tales about us

but we (though gay) in love, victorious

Copyright R. N. Taber 2005

[Note: This poem has been slightly revised from the original as it appears in A Feeling for the Quickness of Time by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2005; 2^nd (revised) e-edition in preparation.]

  

A Song Of The Earth

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

A straight friend once commented that sad as it is, bigotry is a fact of life and we just have to try and learn to live with it. I found myself thinking back to when I wrote today’s poem; it last appeared on the blog in 2010 so now is as good a time as any time perhaps to give it an airing.

I don’t agree with my friend. Bigotry is a fact not of life but of human nature, one of its worst failing no less, and we don’t have to try and learn to live with it at all. 

Surely, it’s better for everyone that we at least try and teach the arrogant bigots among us some humanity, not to mention some humility into the bargain? We are, after all, a common humanity regardless of any socio-cultural-religious differences; nor to the latter make us so different, only more human.

Oh, and why are the idealists among us constantly pit down for advocating peace on earth, goodwill to all, and an end to propagating stereotypes?

A SONG OF THE EARTH

If life’s journey never easy,

each uphill step we take

carries us closer to an eternity

that we, for ourselves, make

with every kind word spoken

to those worse off than us

yet are dead set against bigotry

and the more reason (surely?)

to be thankful for a better nature

than those whose life history

reads much like a dissertation

on the superiority of those

taking care to stay on the ‘right’

side of sexuality over any

who dare stray beyond the pale

of a convention invariably

bent on the misinterpretation

of all some of us say or do

True, in some parts of the world

laws allow us to be gay,

to live, let live and get married,

no matter what bigots say;

true, too, that sticks and stones

can break bones, but less so

that we are left unhurt by names

our so-called betters throw

though any scars we may well

choose not to show but strike

a stoic pose, prepare to battle on

for a way of love we believe in;

let them argue how the world turns

on certain ‘moral norms’

(opening up cans of worms unfit

for even its lower life-forms)

while the rest of us enjoy eternity

in Earth Mother’s arms

  

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

[Please Note: My collections are only on sale in the UK but anyone can order (signed) copies from me at a generous blogger discount. For details, contact rogertab@aol.com with ‘Blog reader’ or Poetry collection’ in the subject field.]

Rites Among Men

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

When I was a young man I’d go cruising known gay areas for love, knowing full well that all I was ever likely to find was sex; it was both an exciting and despairing experience.

Sometimes, though, lonely people really do strike gold …

RITES AMONG MEN

There was a time I was in love with love;

every man I met was the one for me;

each night I’d gaze at the bright stars above,

wishing for someone to be there for me

Again and again, I’d mistake lust for love,

reeling from foolishness, loss and pain

till one night, gazing at those stars above,

you came, stayed, put a hand in mine

Two lonely men cruising, out for a thrill,

we believed in that first sad kiss;

your mouth, arms, body heat in for the kill

found me baring my heart for sacrifice

Old gods applauding among stars above,

we rediscovered ancient rites, made love

Copyright R. N. Taber 2005; 2012

[Note: This poem has been slightly revised (2012) from the original version as it appears in 1^st eds. of A Feeling For The Quickness Of Time by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2005.]

More than Words can Say

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

In my early years, I had a problem with words and language, and still do sometimes; it is one of many reasons that my chosen form of creative therapy is writing, both poetry and fiction. Should any readers be interested in my fiction, just go to:

https://rogertaberfiction.blogspot.com/2016/05/news-updates-fiction.html

Now, I have been partially deaf all my life and need to wear hearing aids. Even today, some people see my aids and assume I am retarded or, at best, as thick as two planks. (Fortunately, I have a sense of humour.)  Today’s poem is posted especially for a profoundly deaf gay couple, one of whom celebrates his 50th birthday today; they have been together for 21 years this week.

Yes, life is an emotional rollercoaster and no, you cannot fully do justice to emotion in words. Believe me, though, when I say from personal experience that it helps one helluva lot to try ... !

Gay or straight, when words fail you, you can invariably count on your eyes to say it all ... for better or worse.

“Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”  - Mark Twain

MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY

I cannot hear
nor shall I wish my life away
but sign to you
how we mean more each day
than spoken words
can say

You cannot speak
nor do you wish your life away
but sign to me
how we live more each day
than spoken words
can say

In eyes of desire,
our love rising from the heart
like a fire
in winter till death us part
and for its second spring
we'll wait

Copyright R. N. Taber 1997

[Note: The poem was written to coincide with the US publication of Eyes of Desire 2: A Deaf GLBT Reader ed. Raymond Luczak, Alyson Books, 1997 to which I contributed an article.]

Somebody To Love

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

Today’s post appears on both blogs as Queen has fans everywhere. The poem takes its title from the hit song first recorded by the rock band on their album A Day at the Races. Written by Freddy Mercury at the piano, "Somebody to Love" is a soul-searching piece that questions God's role in a life without love.

If God is love and a life without love - in all its shapes and forms - is no life at all, where does that leave those of us who don’t believe in a God as expounded by various religions? And who’s to say any religion or religion per se has a monopoly on its understanding of God? Perhaps it is the other way around and Love is God? Who knows…?

I love nature. Perhaps nature is God. Perhaps I am mistaken when I say I don’t believe in God and what I really mean is that I cannot take anything religions have to say literally, preferring a metaphorical take on Holy Books, but… if Love is God…Well, yes, I sure do believe in love.

As for gay love…Love does not discriminate and if God is Love it follows that no God would either so never but never let anyone tell you that gay people in love share anything less beautiful or less godly than their heterosexual counterparts.

What’s that? I’ve said this before? True, nothing new here. Ah, but as my dear, late mother told me once, if something is worth saying it has to be worth repeating.

SOMEBODY TO LOVE

Somebody to love, my life, my dream

wherever I go;

I am the cat that got the cream

(as well you know)

Apollo makes light of our fears

wherever we go,

soul mates swimming the world’s tears

(seas of joy and sorrow)

We’ll rise above all prejudice

wherever we go,

holding hands, pausing for a kiss

(let everyone know)

We’ll prove them all mistaken

wherever we go,

who say gay sex can’t exist but as a sin

(what do they know?)

Waking beside you every day,

wherever we go,

I feel much blessed for being gay

(sunbeam on my pillow)

Passion’s fire will see us right

wherever we go,

blazing a trail through the darkest night

(for others to follow)

Somebody to love, my life, my dream

wherever I go;

I am the cat that got the cream

(as well you know)

Copyright R. N. Taber 197-; 2012

My Way

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

Today’s poem last appeared on the blog in 2010. As I have pointed out before, not everyone has time to browse the archives so I hope those readers who recall it will enjoy being reacquainted.

My mother loved poetry and often used to read me poems rather than stories. I loved them and recall them all, but the first gay-interest poem I read (by Thom Gunn) not only felt like an endorsement of that love, but also of my emerging sexuality; in 1959 when same-sex relationships were still a criminal offence in the UK.

I have always loved libraries and been an avid reader although less so these days as my eyes get tired. Mostly, it would be fiction or poetry with which I would engage with a schoolboy’s enthusiasm for discovery. In this way, I’d not only escape from the harsher realities of life, but also learn more about certain deeper, kinder truths that my compulsory ‘education’ (so-called) rarely if ever even hinted at.  

Take being gay, for example. I had been led to believe it was a perversion so, realizing I am gay caused me to feel guilty for being a pervert. Books and poems assured me otherwise.

I learned that sexuality is in the genes and perfectly natural although frowned upon by those with neither the sense nor sensibility to appreciate anything (or anyone) beyond their narrow conception of 'normality' (upon whose back, of course, a society's leaders in and teachers of its conventions so love to ride). Now, there was a time when such books and poems would invariably be found ‘under the counter’ at my local public library. Ah, but where there’s a will, there is usually a way for an enterprising schoolboy, and my first job after leaving school was in a public library…

MY WAY

I read a poem about being gay

that came back to haunt me

but in the nicest possible way,

applauding my sexuality ...

I wrote a poem about being gay

that needs no apology;

whatever I do, whatever I say,

it always speaks up for me ...

I shared a poem about being gay

with friends and family

who put their misgivings away,

rose above knee jerk hostility

My life is a poem about being gay,

its words a taste of honey;

whatever I do, whatever I say,

it always speaks up for me ...

Copyright R. N. Taber 2008