A reader once wrote in to say that my poems are not "real poetry" but
"...more by way of social commentary." He or she adds that "I
enjoy most of them anyway, but would like to see more nature poems ...
especially as you claim to be inspired by nature." So, should a poet be
precluded from making social comment, given that we live in a world where
nature's greatest threat is human nature, not least by way of much the same
flaws that threaten various societies across the world?
This poem is longer than I anticipated for its having taken on a life of its own - as some poems do - even as I was writing it. Feedback suggests that my longer poems are less popular with readers, but who is a poet to ignore the demands of his or her poem?
As regular readers well know, I remained in the proverbial closet until my early 30's when the upside of a nasty mental breakdown was (finally) seeing my way clear to letting the world know I am gay and finding a new self-confidence in refusing to be put down for it a second longer. In the course of my breakdown, for all its less savoury aspects, I managed to shed the self-consciousness and fear imposed during formative years by a society preferring established 'norms' to any 'differences' or 'irregularities' seen by a statistical majority as bringing said 'norms' into disrepute.
Is it not high time societies worldwide accepted the very diversity of human nature, in the absence of which their populations would probably suffer early heart failure from the stress of sheer boredom?
While I subscribe to no religion, I was raised a Christian and know my Bible, in which words attributed to Jesus of Nazareth come to mind time and time again: "Judge not, lest ye be judged."
MIND-BODY-SPIRIT, CONFIGURING A COMMON HUMANITY
They would often place me
as homosexual, and I'd hotly deny it,
acknowledging only to myself
a sexuality as much a part of who I am
as any other aspect of identity
configuring a common humanity in all
its colourful diversity
Oh, how family would discuss
behind my back as to my sexuality,
as if it really matters
in the Grand Scheme configuring
bright, beautiful, dark or ugly
as we try to make our own way in life,
the less prejudged for it
Oh, and who are they who
would shape us as they would
justify first impressions
of who we are, how best we can
assert ourselves, play fair
by loved ones, return in good measure
something of...what?
Does humanity ask of us to do
for others without due reciprocity
only to deserve no reward
for our endeavouring to compensate
for its shortcomings, any failures
to ‘measure up’ mean a change of heart
out of the question?
How come, out of the question
when losing face matters less (surely?)
than being true to ourselves
and advocating a common humanity
as far as humanly possible?
Yet, fools rush in, much as our 'betters' do
for fearing covers blown
No cover, LGBT masquerading
as ordinary people, simply a matter
of fact, if less digestible
to some than the flesh of bird or beast
that never did them harm
other than looking them pitiably in the eye
for exposing naked truths
Weary of going undercover, LGBT
comes out, comes clean, comes face to face
with such bigotry and hate
as eats the perpetrators up, spits them out
after the way of followers
of fashion courting converts via prime time
media hits across the world
Where bigots may well place me
as homosexual, I'll nod and cheerfully agree,
acknowledge my sexuality
for being as much a vital part of who I am
as any other aspect of identity
configuring a common humanity in all
its colourful diversity
Copyright R. N. Taber 2020
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