Children of the Willow
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber
This poem appears in my gay-interest poetry blog archives for February 2011.
Update (October 2013): I have added poem and video to my You Tube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIovJI_lQGc
[If the link does not work, go to my channel and search under title at:
Another young reader who tells me he (or she?) attends a Faith school (I don't know of which persuasion) has asked me how I can be sure that same sex relationships are not a mortal sin. All I can say is that my instincts tell me so. I have to trust my instincts (don’t we all?) or I’d almost certainly revert to the psychological and emotional mess I was as a teenager many years ago when same sex relationships were a criminal offence here in the UK. [I am 65 now, having survived more 'slings and arrows of outrageous fortune' than I care to dwell upon.]
Each and every one of us must make our own choices, trust our deeper instincts and make our own way in life. It can be a lonely journey sometimes.
While the support of family and friends cannot be underestimated, it isn’t always there and then the going gets really rough. It may be small comfort to my young reader but reassuring perhaps to say that tens of thousands of gay (and straight) people world-wide are frequently daunted by the maze we call life. Few of us find the centre. The trick is to have as much fun as possible while looking.
Regular readers will know that, while I respect anyone’s Faith, I have no faith in religion. It is my choice and I am convinced it would have been even if I were not gay. Non-belief deserves respect too, doesn’t it? No less so, sexuality. These are, after all, expressions of a person’s individual identity. As I have said on previous posts, we are not, thank goodness, a race of clones...yet.
Until there is open, intelligent, unbiased discussion of LGBT issues in schools, many young gay people will continue to anguish over their awakening sexuality. It is high time Head Teachers (not only in the UK but worldwide) saw to it that ' education' lived up to its name; it is not all about preparing for examinations. Human Rights must have a place on the curriculum, surely?
CHILDREN OF THE WILLOW
I can hear a songbird calling me
far, far away,
in the bosom of a willow tree
where we used to play;
the songbird, it reminds me
how far, far away,
we children of the willow tree
grew up scared and gay;
the songbird, it’s assuring me
though far, far away,
my love waits by the willow tree
where long ago we lay
The willow tree, it’s calling me
far, far away,
the shackles of world bigotry
all but cast away;
the willow tree, it reminds me
of all we (finally) dared say
to enlighten friends and family
about love, pure and gay;
the willow tree, it’s assuring me
we shall win the day
where songbirds sing of liberty
for lovers scared and gay
A world, the poorer for its bigotry,
is ignorant of nature’s way;
on a learning curve, every society
whose lovers straight or gay,
for somewhere there’s a willow tree
far, far, away,
w here a songbird is singing sweetly
for lovers scared and gay;
may they, like us, find sanctuary
and the words to say,
such is nature’s take on spirituality
it is no sin to be gay
Copyright R. N. Taber 2011
This poem appears in my gay-interest poetry blog archives for February 2011.
Update (October 2013): I have added poem and video to my You Tube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIovJI_lQGc
[If the link does not work, go to my channel and search under title at:
Another young reader who tells me he (or she?) attends a Faith school (I don't know of which persuasion) has asked me how I can be sure that same sex relationships are not a mortal sin. All I can say is that my instincts tell me so. I have to trust my instincts (don’t we all?) or I’d almost certainly revert to the psychological and emotional mess I was as a teenager many years ago when same sex relationships were a criminal offence here in the UK. [I am 65 now, having survived more 'slings and arrows of outrageous fortune' than I care to dwell upon.]
Each and every one of us must make our own choices, trust our deeper instincts and make our own way in life. It can be a lonely journey sometimes.
While the support of family and friends cannot be underestimated, it isn’t always there and then the going gets really rough. It may be small comfort to my young reader but reassuring perhaps to say that tens of thousands of gay (and straight) people world-wide are frequently daunted by the maze we call life. Few of us find the centre. The trick is to have as much fun as possible while looking.
Regular readers will know that, while I respect anyone’s Faith, I have no faith in religion. It is my choice and I am convinced it would have been even if I were not gay. Non-belief deserves respect too, doesn’t it? No less so, sexuality. These are, after all, expressions of a person’s individual identity. As I have said on previous posts, we are not, thank goodness, a race of clones...yet.
Until there is open, intelligent, unbiased discussion of LGBT issues in schools, many young gay people will continue to anguish over their awakening sexuality. It is high time Head Teachers (not only in the UK but worldwide) saw to it that ' education' lived up to its name; it is not all about preparing for examinations. Human Rights must have a place on the curriculum, surely?
CHILDREN OF THE WILLOW
I can hear a songbird calling me
far, far away,
in the bosom of a willow tree
where we used to play;
the songbird, it reminds me
how far, far away,
we children of the willow tree
grew up scared and gay;
the songbird, it’s assuring me
though far, far away,
my love waits by the willow tree
where long ago we lay
The willow tree, it’s calling me
far, far away,
the shackles of world bigotry
all but cast away;
the willow tree, it reminds me
of all we (finally) dared say
to enlighten friends and family
about love, pure and gay;
the willow tree, it’s assuring me
we shall win the day
where songbirds sing of liberty
for lovers scared and gay
A world, the poorer for its bigotry,
is ignorant of nature’s way;
on a learning curve, every society
whose lovers straight or gay,
for somewhere there’s a willow tree
far, far, away,
w here a songbird is singing sweetly
for lovers scared and gay;
may they, like us, find sanctuary
and the words to say,
such is nature’s take on spirituality
it is no sin to be gay
Copyright R. N. Taber 2011
Labels: bigotry, culture, human nature, Human Rights, LGBT, life, love, mind-body-spirit, nature, personal space, poetry, relationships, religion, sexual identity, sexuality, society, young people
posted by R. N. Taber | 08:09
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