Tuesday, 5 March 2013

In Love and War

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

World War 1 was meant to be the war to end all wars. Yet, World War 2 came along and there have been wars since; so many deaths, so many injuries and so many lives devastated.

Even as I write, brave men and women, gay and straight alike, are fighting, dying, and sustaining terrible injuries across the world.  

Is it not strange that, even in the 21st century, we rarely hear how gay men and women, too, make sacrifices for a kinder, better world?  Not surprising, really, I suppose. Let’s face it. Home Fronts can be a battlefield for us as well…

When will humankind ever learn, eh? When will we ever learn...?

IN LOVE AND WAR

As we homed in to hug goodbye,
you moved your head,
your lips brushing against mine
an instant too long
for it to have been just a mistake;
I told myself it was imagination,
conjuring up images
I tried to put aside for its wanting
its wicked way with us,
having us on, playing a silly trick

You went to war in foreign fields
and all I could do
was wish you safe and well
while in a cold sweat
over thoughts of your coming back;
just when I thought it safe to dream
they’d spring an ambush,
shoot me down, leave me exposed,
(no uncommon enemy trait)
for vultures to spot, swoop and pick

You would always find me, comfort
me in my distress
where I’d peer behind death’s door;
one kiss, more than enough
to open my eyes, surprise me awake;
a day came when I slept in late
after hours of fighting off my fears,
waking up to tears on my cheek
I had thought was blood (yours?)
the enemies of love resolved to take

You were sat on the edge of my bed,
grinning from ear to ear;
I flung my arms around your neck,
nor was it any a mistake
as you kissed me, I kissed you back;
our lovemaking told its own story,
(no happy ending assured)
and we, though our hearts near break,
sure to shine its light - where all
closet lovers go in fear of the dark

Copyright R. N. Taber 2009


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