Among my critics are gay
people living here in London who keep telling me that gay people have never had
it so good, and where that is true I am, of course, delighted. However, it is not true for everyone. The point of this blog is not only to try and entertain gay readers with gay-interest
poems but especially encourage those struggling with self-doubt and other powerful forces, internal or
external. Gay or straight, it is important that we feel GOOD about ourselves and not let others put us down for whatever reason.
Acknowledging homosexuality
is rarely easy, especially for someone living in a gay-unfriendly home, school,
or work environment. Yes, even in London UK, especially among those whose
cultural history is intrinsically homophobic. I would remind readers, too, that
this blog is read worldwide (according to Google stats) and in some parts of
the southern hemisphere, being gay is (still) punishable by imprisonment, even
death.
Once we acknowledge our
sexuality, we are faced with the question, what (if anything) do we do about
it? Some people choose to do nothing, and hope for the best while others prefer
to nurture the rose and risk its thorns drawing blood.
This poem may be a tale of two
gay halves, but is life really any different whether we are gay
or straight? I mean, who would really settle for half a life when the
chances are there is another half somewhere every bit as anxious to hitch up to
a kindred spirit?
Like many clichés, it is so true that, ’Nothing ventured, nothing
gained.’
A TALE OF TWO HALVES
He said he dare not love me
had been warned I was the
Devil
come to tempt him
He told me he must go
away
or people would say nasty things
about us
He insisted he wasn’t gay
and I had read his body
language
all wrong
He put his hands to his ears
as if to shut out my words
of love
once and for all
He (finally) turned away,
ran to the door, seized the
handle,
and froze
He turned, and walked back
to me, his tears like the falling stars
to me, his tears like the falling stars
of my dreams
He confessed he'd but settled
for half a life, as better than no life
for half a life, as better than no life
at all...
He admitted he was surer of
me
than himself, had never dared come
this far before
He told me friends and
family
would take time (if ever) to
accept
we were lovers
He put his lips to mine,
bodies
joined in an embrace no less spiritual
than carnal
Gladly, we gave my weepy bed
good cause for celebrating
life, love,
sex and sexuality
Copyright R. N. Taber 2013
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