Catcher in the Eye OR The Insider

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

“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.” – Confucius

“Beauty awakens the soul to act.” – Dante Alighieri

“Beauty is bought by judgement of the eye.” - William Shakespeare

“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson  

Now, Reader. L J takes issue with my argument – with which regular readers will be only too familiar - that love comes in all shapes and forms. 

L J suggests that “… true love can only exist between a man and a woman and consummated as such.  Anything else is just passion for its own sake.”  Everyone to their point of view, of course, although, as a gay man, I would dispute the latter. 

Moreover, what is “true” love?   One dictionary definition of 'true' is "In accordance with fact or reality. "Take the love we feel for a pet, a work of art., a favourite place, the platonic love between close friends…are these not a reality for those concerned, an honest, sincere measure of love?  

As for the love expressed and shared between partners of the same sex who choose to spend their lives together, that has to be more than “just passion for its own sake" surely?

Today’s poem, could well be seen as companion to A Walk on the Dark Side that I published on both poetry blogs earlier this week.

 CATCHER IN THE EYE or THE INSIDER

Not always in plain sight
for the world to enjoy at will,
but always there
for those to find who care
to nurture relations
with a mind-body-spirit set on
satisfying native desires
by pursuing its finer, ultimate goal,
within heart-and-soul 

I catch the eye that looks
beyond what attracts attention,
taking imagination
on a journey into sensibility,
catching the first light
of dawn where birds in trees
are waking, flexing wings,
preparing to fly clear or cloudy skies,
dry humanity’s tears

I nest in shy glances, take each
day as it comes, vaulting spectacles,
tugging nervously at hair
shining like a splendid dawn
you may well have missed,
preferring to keep your eyes shut 
for trying to hang on to hopes
of engaging with love in such a place
as called You-Me-Us

I am Beauty; in the eye of my perceiver,
a joy forever…

Copyright R. N. Taber, 2022

[Note: this post-poem appears on both poetry blogs today.]

The Spirit Within

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

Today's poem appeared on my general blog yesterday. At an LGBT reader's request, I am posting it here today. Relatively few  readers visit this blog now so I may discontinue it by the end of the year. Hopefully, some readers will  still find my general poetry blog of some interest. I will not delete the blog so readers can still visit the archives and are welcome to email me any time.

Meanwhile...

Despite the computer hackers, conspiracy theorists, common criminals, those ignoring Covid-19 safety regulations and anyone else hell bent on targeting the human spirit, its resilience to such destructive forces remains an inspiration. Yes, it can feel pain and immeasurable hurt, but in most of us, it is blessed with powers or recuperation, survival and renewal second to none. 

Not long ago, I saw an elderly man slip and fall on a plastic coffee cup carelessly thrown on to the pavement. Fortunately, although badly shaken, he was able to raise a smile and reassure me that no bones appeared to be broken, only bruised, and adamantly refused to let me play safe by calling an ambulance. “I can walk, so can’t be too much the worse for wear,” was his lively response, “NHS staff have too much on their plates at the moment with the coronavirus, I can’t go adding a few bruises when there are people’s lives to save…” I gave him my phone number and he promised to call if he needed any help later. As I watched him go, at first a little shakily then with growing confidence, I had to admire the man for an indomitable human spirit not untypical of his generation; it struck me as something quite beautiful, and I felt inspired for witnessing it. 

Having felt very unwell recently, that simple act of defying odds and self-resolve to overcome them continues to encourage and inspire me to view the rising threat of a new mutation of Covid-19 with a positive-thinking mindset. 

There are, after all, things in life that may well defeat us in part, but never as a whole, given a whole that includes a human spirit that, as likely as not, will leave its mark not only on the Here-and Now, but for generations to come.

'Beauty is power; its smile is a sword . - John Ray

THE SPIRIT WITHIN

World, grown dark,
its peoples sick at heart
for the fears
insinuating mind-body-spirit,
threatening
its positive life forces, giving
negatives
all the excuses they need, and more
to assume control 

Powers of darkness,
the likes of prejudice and hate.
attempting
to win over such powers of light
as empathy,
humility, modesty, such love
for humanity
as would always see its natural affinity
with beauty kept safe 

Beauty, a feeling for all
that’s right, good and fair, giving
the Spirit of Light
an advantage from the start
over any negatives
that may well find ways to send
humankind
into free fall, have us answer to mortality
even before our time 

Beauty, though masking
its finer qualities from time to time
to keep them safe
from such hackers as connive
to turn enough tables
likely to wreak chaos, destruction,
even worse,
engages with the Spirit of Love to mentor all
those who live to learn 

Such is the spirit within, empowering humanity
to turn any (apparent) defeat into a victory 

 Copyright R.N. Taber 2020

 

 

Beauty and the Beast

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

In the so-called liberal West, we have come a long way in achieving the same rights for gay men and women as anyone else; it is a huge step forward and needs to be emulated by more countries around the world  where gay people remain under threat of imprisonment or worse simply because of their sexuality. 

Even in the more liberal parts of Europe, though, many if not most gay people living and' or growing up in rural areas feel obliged to stay in the proverbial closet, possibly because these are often very close-knit communities less inclined to think favourably towards same sex relationships.  I had to move with my parents to just such an area in the UK while still at school; I was only 14 years-old and as if school wasn't bad enough, living there was a nightmare as I had already realised I am gay.

Homophobia is an offence against humanity.

It has to be said, the West cannot in all innocence deny any predilection for homophobia.  Far too many people continue to say one thing in public and the opposite behind closed doors.  Only the other day, I read that homophobic bullying is rife in many schools. Those parents, Head Teachers and others who turn a blind eye are every bit as guilty of homophobia as the bullies themselves.

It is tough on many young gay people, especially so for those whose culture of origin remains intrinsically homophobic.

The world needs to change for the better in many ways, not least regarding various socio-cultural-religious attitudes towards gay men and women more relevant to the Dark Ages than what should be a forward-looking twenty-first century.

While London, along with other major cities around the world may well celebrate a day of Gay Pride once a year, homophobia remains alive and kicking just about everywhere. Yet, every day should be a celebration of human and personal pride ... Meanwhile, we can but hope a day will come when everyone will participate regardless of age, colour, creed, sex or sexuality.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Distracted on country lanes, my love and I,

by spoilt brats playing up a parent

plainly too scared to but plead for acceptable

behaviour or risk being chased like a fox

beyond the pale, given society’s predilection

for what is just and fair, especially where

children are involved, trusting they will learn

a sense of responsibility, not turn out badly

in the long run

Pausing, my love and I, on country roads

to watch lambs skipping in a field,

reflecting how it was when we were young,

pretending we hadn’t a care in the world

to all but ourselves, looking over shoulders

when we thought someone might see us,

keeping to shadows for kisses they despise

who live in houses made of playing cards

(aces high)

Hugging, my love and I, for how things are

in the world, glad we have each other

to help us through what may pass for morality

but (invariably) is an excuse for sucking up

to those do-gooders who mean well but see

sweeping statements as a rule of thumb,

love to interpret nature’s laws along such lines

as human ends justifying human means

in the long run

Oh, beautiful countryside, all nature living free

but for human nature deriding our sexuality

Copyright R N Taber 2010, 2019

[Note: An earlier version of this poem appears under the title 'Country Ways' in On the Battlefields of Love by R, N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2010]

Icon

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

I can’t imagine why a homophobic cleric is reading the blog but someone called ‘Disgusted’ has been in touch about Tuesday’s poem. He says it is a sin to ‘glorify’ the human body and ‘outrageous’ to suggest any sense of spirituality can be derived from sex. He deplores my posting poems like Body Beautiful which only proves his point that the Internet is a ‘corrupt influence.’ Even so, he kindly adds that he enjoys many of my ‘more conventional' poems and recommends that I ‘get help' with my homosexuality.

How can I answer that but with another ‘corrupt’ (?!) poem...? He has every right to insist on his point of view, of course, but so do I...

How can anyone in their right mind insist a poem is a corrupt influence because it celebrates the human body?  A for sex, isn't  that is a celebration of the human body too?  Why shouldn't anyone - gay or straight -  find it an intensely spiritual as well as a delightfully physical experience?

ICON

An enigmatic air, rippling muscles,

head like a young god’s cast in bronze

full, sensual lips parted, not smiling,

but knowingly, as if aware of a breeze

in close-cropped curls whisking us 

to some fantasy isle, we its castaways,

partners in paradise, no one crowding us,

fat chance, rescue

Eyes as sharp as thorns on any rose,

while blushing skies lending him a hint 

of vulnerability, some pigeons nearby 

reciting poetry not meant for human ears;

two loud, tipsy youths try to muscle in

on our privacy, but reckoning without

divine intervention from a god on salary,

up for whatever

Mouth moves with the same alacrity

as hands and feet, divinity momentarily

suspended, as the youths demand entry;

harsh words and a strong arm soon sends

them packing, enigmatic air resumed,

classic Rodin immortalised on my phone

for quick reference whenever I find myself

in need of a pick-me-up

Copyright R. N. Taber 2004; 2019

[Note: An earlier version of this poem appears in The Third Eye by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2004.]

Body Beautiful

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

Today’s poem first appeared on the blog in March 2009 and several readers have asked for it to be repeated.

Now, I am often criticised for expressing the spirituality of sex as well as love. Well, sex for me has always been a very spiritual experience. I’ve never been a wham-bam-thank-you-Sam sort of guy.

Yes, of course sex is fun and physically satisfying…but why should it be any the less a spiritual experience for that? Me, I find sex for its own sake so boring. Foreplay is not only an art worth the learning, but it can also transcend the sexual experience into another dimension altogether….if you let it.

It is always worth remembering too, of course, that beauty is very much in the eyes of the beholder, and we all see people differently.

BODY BEAUTIFUL

Beads of sweat
on a fine chest, pearly nipples
demanding to be explored,
diving instincts exposing them
to a mind intent on…
an explosion of sexual activity
between legs like jelly,
all-quivering desire making ripples
through this body, so near
yet so far from such perfection
that no erection could last
for long, but needs burst like some
joyous song, hymn to love,
lust, desire - call it what you will
but nothing quite like it,
pounding like gospel on the ears,
filling our eyes with tears
for such beauty in a world much
maligned for an absence
of sensitivity towards whatever
icons we may choose
to invest a body of feeling within,
yearning for free expression
and more, much more but even now,
dripping into oblivion - unless
we open our mouths to say exactly
what we mean, try pricking
the heart of any adversary who
will, for sure, never best
the sheer thrill of licking sweat
on your fine chest…

Copyright R N Taber 2009

[Note: This poem was centred on the page in 1st eds. of A Feeling For The Quickness Of Time by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2005 but otherwise remains unchanged.]