http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber
Today's poem - the last in a series of poems I have written for the blog to mark LGBT History Month here in the UK - is another villanelle. A repetitive theme, true, but it’s repetition that best serves the less retentive human memory...which is probably why human history is often inclined to repeat itself.
Now, in many of the world’s societies and in the minds of the less enlightened heterosexual, gay men and woman remain the lesser among equals. Elsewhere, times are changing for the better; we are not only making our voice heard but also our presence felt while making the kind of positive contribution to society, human relationships and humankind in general to which most if not all of us aspire.
Change, though, is rarely evenly spread across the world’s home fronts, taking its cue from Time, a notoriously fickle ally by any standards. Whatever, that old-stand by Hope is always willing and able to pick up any pieces, put us together (yet) again and spur us on. I suspect it all starts with our taking responsibility for who and what we are rather than finding someone else to blame wherever and whenever any question of blame arises.
“The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.”
― Omar Khayyám (re Edward Fitzgerald's translation of The Rubáiyát, 1859]
Yes, we may well look back in anger and/or grief but also for inspiration, corner stone of all history.
HAVING WRIT, MOVING ON, AND MAKING HISTORY
Child of my century
like any other,
no matter, my sexuality
Born, an innocent babe
to Earth Mother;
child of my century
Turning pages of history
on human nature,
no matter, my sexuality
Often, object of bigotry
like no other;
child of my century
Ever wary of inhumanity
breaking cover,
no matter, my sexuality
Where the sicker society
abets homophobia…
child of my century,
no matter, my sexuality
Copyright R. N. Taber 2016
Today's poem - the last in a series of poems I have written for the blog to mark LGBT History Month here in the UK - is another villanelle. A repetitive theme, true, but it’s repetition that best serves the less retentive human memory...which is probably why human history is often inclined to repeat itself.
Now, in many of the world’s societies and in the minds of the less enlightened heterosexual, gay men and woman remain the lesser among equals. Elsewhere, times are changing for the better; we are not only making our voice heard but also our presence felt while making the kind of positive contribution to society, human relationships and humankind in general to which most if not all of us aspire.
Change, though, is rarely evenly spread across the world’s home fronts, taking its cue from Time, a notoriously fickle ally by any standards. Whatever, that old-stand by Hope is always willing and able to pick up any pieces, put us together (yet) again and spur us on. I suspect it all starts with our taking responsibility for who and what we are rather than finding someone else to blame wherever and whenever any question of blame arises.
“The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.”
― Omar Khayyám (re Edward Fitzgerald's translation of The Rubáiyát, 1859]
Yes, we may well look back in anger and/or grief but also for inspiration, corner stone of all history.
HAVING WRIT, MOVING ON, AND MAKING HISTORY
Child of my century
like any other,
no matter, my sexuality
Born, an innocent babe
to Earth Mother;
child of my century
Turning pages of history
on human nature,
no matter, my sexuality
Often, object of bigotry
like no other;
child of my century
Ever wary of inhumanity
breaking cover,
no matter, my sexuality
Where the sicker society
abets homophobia…
child of my century,
no matter, my sexuality
Copyright R. N. Taber 2016
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