http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber
World War
1 was meant to be the war to end all wars. Yet, World War 2 came along and
there have been wars since; so many deaths, so many injuries and so many lives
devastated.
Even as I
write, brave men and women, gay and straight alike, are fighting, dying, and
sustaining terrible injuries across the world.
Is it not
strange that, even in the 21st century, we rarely hear how gay men and
women, too, make sacrifices for a kinder, better world? Not surprising, really, I suppose. Let’s face it. Home Fronts can be a
battlefield for us as well…
When will
humankind ever learn, eh? When will we ever learn...?
IN LOVE
AND WAR
As we
homed in to hug goodbye,
you moved
your head,
your lips
brushing against mine
an
instant too long
for it to
have been just a mistake;
I told
myself it was imagination,
conjuring
up images
I tried
to put aside for its wanting
its
wicked way with us,
having us
on, playing a silly trick
You went
to war in foreign fields
and all I
could do
was wish
you safe and well
while in
a cold sweat
over
thoughts of your coming back;
just when
I thought it safe to dream
they’d
spring an ambush,
shoot me
down, leave me exposed,
(no
uncommon enemy trait)
for
vultures to spot, swoop and pick
You would
always find me, comfort
me in my
distress
where I’d
peer behind death’s door;
one kiss,
more than enough
to open
my eyes, surprise me awake;
a day
came when I slept in late
after
hours of fighting off my fears,
waking up
to tears on my cheek
I
had thought was blood (yours?)
the
enemies of love resolved to take
You were
sat on the edge of my bed,
grinning
from ear to ear;
I flung
my arms around your neck,
nor was
it any a mistake
as you
kissed me, I kissed you back;
our
lovemaking told its own story,
(no happy
ending assured)
and we,
though our hearts near break,
sure to
shine its light - where all
closet lovers
go in fear of the dark
Copyright
R. N. Taber 2009
