Today's poem first appeared on the blog in 2008 under a different title, and I have since revised it, slightly but significantly.
Several readers have asked how I am progressing with the new poetry collection and if I have found a potential publisher. Well, progress is slow but sure, and I haven't given much thought to finding a publisher as I will probably self-publish again. As I have said before on the blogs, the majority of publishers here in the UK have never shown any interest in my previous collections; indeed, it would seem that poetry publishers in general are inclined to shy away from a volume that includes both general and gay-interest poems. I am toying the the idea of only making it available as an e-book, but may have just a few hundred copies printed as they have always sold. As always, time will tell if and hoe opportunity knocks. wry bardic chuckle
Meanwhile ...
Now, there's a lot to be said for
letting Waves of Wishful Thinking sweep us off our feet and having their
way with us on tides of Here-and-Now. Oh, and there's no need to
wait for Valentine’s Day to come around again either. wry bardic grin
'Practise is the best of all instructors.'
- Pubilius Syrus (fl. 85-43 BC)
Have fun ... but be careful out there.
NOTHING VENTURED, NOTHING GAINED or MIND-BODY-SPIRIT, UP FOR IT
I slumped in a bar, drinking
moodily,
in a tug-of-war with my heart,
longing to kiss the guy
opposite me,
a target, if ever, for Cupid's
dart
I contemplated chatting him
casually
(be subtle while making a pass)
but fear kept getting the
better of me
as I looked soulfully into my
glass
Now and then I’d let my eyes
devour
pecs pricking at a tight white
tee,
felt myself blushing for sheer
horror
at catching him observing me
Did I like what I saw, he
softly asked?
(making my every nerve tingle);
I felt like a thief caught out,
unmasked,
could but silently pray he was
single
I could barely mumble something
inane
(his laughter made me look
away);
he still had a smile when I
looked again,
one that seemed to want me to
stay
He came over and sat right next
to me
I took heart and we chatted a
while,
mind-body-spirit engaging anxiously
in a mad tug-of-war with his
smile
During that (half-hearted)
tug-of-war,
fear began to drop away from
me,
till sex such as I’d but
dreamed of before
affirmed a new, gay-spiritual
identity
We had a safe, sensual,
delightful affair,
practising the finer arts of
sexuality
for such a time as such
sympathies care
to give love a free rein on its humanity
Copyright R. N. Taber 2008; 2020
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