Love in our Time

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

Several readers have emailed to ask if my new collection will be a combination of gay-interest and general poems, as my others have been. The answer is yes, it will, although I am still unsure whether either of two publishers who have expressed an interest will take it on or whether I will need to self-publish again. In the past, publishers have made it clear that they don’t like the idea of general and gay-interest poetry under one cover; presumably, they don’t see it as commercially viable.  However, I will always insist on including both, partly because I think there is a demand out there among those who enjoy reading poetry, but also because we are living in a more enlightened age now, coronavirus notwithstanding.

Hopefully, the world is finally waking up to the fact that there is more to a person than his or her gender or sexuality, and see stereotyping for the fake news it is.

Meanwhile …

These are hard times for all of us, not least as it would appear that Covid-19 cases are on the rise again worldwide. A welcome distraction today, though, by way of a new poem, inspired by my hearing about two old friends, once lovers, reunited after years apart. Oh, but I so love a happy ending, and wish them all that's bright and beautiful in what, for many of us, can be a dark, ugly world. Me? I just take each day as it comes and try to keep looking on the bright(er) side of life ... 'try' being the operative word as often as not these days. <<wry bardic grin>>

LOVE IN OUR TIME

No kissing, no hugs,
even between we old flames
at a chance encounter
long after any letters returned,
love all but spurned

Covid-19, however,
demanded we at least pause, chat,
no more than that, maybe
a brief, innocent wander down 
old Memory Lane...?

Recalling happier days,
brought us close again, let us
escape the loneliness
we'd both been attacked by lately,
gay bars left empty

At a tree trunk we shared
a take-away meal, a few beers,
fighting back any tears
for all we'd meant to each other,
(nothing left to recover?)

No Covid to blame either,
but two young fools dead scared
of missing out on what life's
all about, not up for settling down,
no thought to being alone 

Time’s up, we're leaving,
elbows knocking on weepy hearts
crying out in pain, scared,
of being so misunderstood yet again,
just as it's starting to rain

We parted, my ex and I,
even managed to say "Goodbye";
no intention of looking back,
but slump shoulders told tales on me,
a tap on mine, oh, ecstasy! 

Without a word spoken,
we went into a hug-cum-bubble;
burst though it yet may do,
we'll see (whatever) through together 
for (still) loving each other

Copyright R. N. Taber 2020

even between old flames

on a chance encounter

after years of letters returned,

email advances spurned

 

Covid-19, however

let us pause for a chat, nothing

more than that, it’s true,

but enough to enable us to dally

on old Memory Lane

 

Recalling happier days,

brought us close again, let us

escape the loneliness

we’d both been attacked by lately,

even Soho less friendly

 

We grabbed a free table,

shared a meal and a few beers,

letting fall a tear or two

for times like no other, lost forever,

nothing left to recover

 

No coronavirus to blame,

but a pair of fools, scared off by

the idea of settling down,

wanting to see the world, no thought

to ever ending up alone

 

Time’s up, early closing,

everyone leaving, we’re the last

elbows knocking, feelings

screaming out in pain, scared of being

abandoned all over again

 

We parted, my ex and I,

even said a shaky “Goodbye, friend.”

before walking on, no intention

of looking back, but a slumped shoulder,

rose to the occasion

 

Without a word spoken,

we rushed into a big hug-cum-bubble

and burst, though it may well do,

we’ll see the coronavirus through together

just for loving each othermany years apart. Here's wishing them a truly Happy Ending.