Homing in on The 'I' in Diversity OR Gay in Ghana

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

Now and again, readers from Ghana appear among Google statistics relating to my gay-interest poetry as well as its general counterpart. Comments cannot be viewed although I always reply to any left in the Comments Box if people care to include an email address; understandably readers from those countries where gay relationships remain a criminal offence rarely do so. Some readers contact me at my home e-address [rogertab@aol.com] and ‘Poetry’ in the subject field guarantees a reply if clearly not spam.

I am in my 70's now, but well recall meeting a young man from Ghana in a local gay bar here in London UK some years ago; we were drawn to each other, although not sexually, and enjoyed a long chat. He left with someone else, but paused to give me a hug before disappearing from my life if not my memory. He was, he told me, feeling suffocated at home in Ghana, having to act a part he neither related to and hated, but felt he had no choice. As I had been in much the same situation here in the UK at his age, we had a lot in common, and hopefully his life, as mine (eventually) did, has worked out all the better for him; he may still need to act a part in the world’s eye, but hopefully he can be himself as time, place, people and circumstances permit.

Doesn't everyone deserve the basic Human Right, to be themselves?

This poem is a villanelle.

HOMING IN ON THE 'I' IN DIVERSITY or GAY IN GHANA

For years I kept home truths at bay,

even tried to make out I was straight

too scared to tell the world I’m gay

I met an old friend in Accra one day,

only to find myself engaging with fate

(for years I kept home truths at bay)

We went to a bar, and stayed all day,

catching up, as you would with a mate,

too scared to tell the world I’m gay

I liked him more than I had dared say,

even envied pretty girls he used to date

(for years I kept home truths at bay)

That day, I let the pito have its way,

yet, close as I came to flirting with fate,

too scared to tell the world I'm gay

His knowing grin gave the game away,

our body language talking love, no hate;

for years I kept home truths at bay

too scared to tell the world I’m gay

Copyright R. N. Taber 2019

Note: My friend Graham is visiting Ghana in October. You may like some of his his videos over which I read poems: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSdhLgPQOsng2Xz8n5m0ViQ  OR simply enter 'Roger Taber You Tube' in any browser. Unfortunately, I cannot accompany him as I have serious health problems, although, as always, I continue to look on the bright(er) side of life.