Now, each
and every one of us has equal rights of way in life regardless of colour,
creed, sex or sexuality. Never let anyone tell you differently. As for people
like me who do not believe in a personified God, be sure any ‘Heaven’ connects
with Earth Mother just as surely as spring follows winter.
Today’s poem
first appeared on the blog a few years ago especially for ‘Helen and Max who
emailed to say, 'We are devout Christians, but we love our gay son no less for
his sexuality or our religion. God is Love, and to reject our son would be to
reject Christianity...’ Oh, but how refreshing to hear of Christians being
Christian! There are plenty of them, of
course, good people with open hearts and minds regardless of their religion, but
we gay men and women seem to have more than our fair share of encounters with
the worst kind.
Yes, there are many in gay-unfriendly cultures, communities and societies who are gay-friendly; on the whole, though, those same cultures, communities and societies still have a long way to go be before understanding - and being seen to understand - that sexuality is a fact not freak of nature. Bigotry and prejudice on the other hand...
Few choices we make in life are important as how we choose to live it. I once met a guy and his partner from Nigeria on holiday here in London. We were in a gay bar and they told me how it was impossible to be openly gay back home. I asked how they coped, and did they think there would come a time when they could be open about their relationship. One grinned and said, "Life is all about making choices, yes? Well, we've made one of the most important choices we will ever make. More to come, sure, but it's as they say, Rome was not built in a day..."
Free spirits, yes. Free choices? Well, I dare say life (like love) demands a payback time (sooner or later, in one form or another) of all if not most choices we make in its name.
Yes, there are many in gay-unfriendly cultures, communities and societies who are gay-friendly; on the whole, though, those same cultures, communities and societies still have a long way to go be before understanding - and being seen to understand - that sexuality is a fact not freak of nature. Bigotry and prejudice on the other hand...
Few choices we make in life are important as how we choose to live it. I once met a guy and his partner from Nigeria on holiday here in London. We were in a gay bar and they told me how it was impossible to be openly gay back home. I asked how they coped, and did they think there would come a time when they could be open about their relationship. One grinned and said, "Life is all about making choices, yes? Well, we've made one of the most important choices we will ever make. More to come, sure, but it's as they say, Rome was not built in a day..."
Free spirits, yes. Free choices? Well, I dare say life (like love) demands a payback time (sooner or later, in one form or another) of all if not most choices we make in its name.
This poem
is a kenning.
FREE SPIRIT, FREE CHOICES (IF ONLY...!)
At the Gates
of Heaven,
legends gave me no choice
but return, for better
legends gave me no choice
but return, for better
or worse,
make good mistakes
yet to be
made, watch plans
fall
apart still to be laid, chance
whatever good
it takes
for
anyone of my disposition
to make a
right decision
At the Gates
of Hell
a devil all
but defined the art
of choice
as heads he wins
tails I
lose, my head on a block,
or neck on
a line where blind
to eyes flashing
warnings,
lips
preferring to play lackey
to consensus,
V-signs making
sense of
bad decisions
At the Gates
of Love
an angel
gave me a choice;
seize the
day, no excuses,
or play out
sad mind games,
prefer
the stars to the sun,
go baying
for the moon alone,
never waking
to a sharing
of body
heat for fear its joys
but fade too
soon
May mind-body-spirit yet find me
ways to live, love, and stay free
Copyright R. N. Taber 2005; 2016
[Note: An earlier version of this poem appears under the title 'Rights of Way' in A Feeling for the Quickness of Time by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2005.]
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