Listening to Love
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber
Today's poem first appeared on my gay-interest blog in 2013 with 'Listening to Love' as an alternative title. To read the preamble I posted then, you are welcome to take a look; simply type the title in the subject field of my other poetry blog:
https://aspectsofagaymanslifeinverse.blogspot.com
I wrote this poem while recovering from a severe nervous breakdown for which having been made to feel something of a freak for years because of my sexuality was partly responsible. Writing has always been a form of creative therapy for me; it contributed considerably to my recovery as did my resolving, once and for all, to stop playing Jack-in-the-box with my sexual identity.
Meanwhile, here's wishing everyone that inner peace and love which, for many of us, remains sadly elusive. Whatever, we must rise above the naysayers of our time as best we can, take each day as it comes, resolve to look on the bright side of life and enjoy whats on offer; wherever the latter found significantly wanting, we can but focus on and work to effect change for the better, each in our own way, however long it takes.
Did I say it was easy? But we can do it. You only have to look how much public opinion has changed for the better towards LGBT issues - in many a socio-cultural-religious environment - since the Stonewall riots in New York, 1969.
LGBT relationships have existed behind closed doors for centuries; there will always be bigots who know no better, but we owe it to the next generation to make sure the more positive attitudes towards sexuality are not made to do an about-turn by any less discerning influences; every society has those, too, of course, not least amongst its more vocal socio-cultural-religious lobbies whose only concern is self-interest in one form or another.
LISTENING TO LOVE
Love gave me flowers
that faded away;
Love gave me kisses
that faded away;
Love told me any doubts
would fade away
Love did not mind
we’re gay
People took your flowers,
threw them away;
they scorned our kisses,
called us names;
the same people warned us
we’d rue the day
Some people mind
we’re gay
The language of flowers
speaks of love;
the heat of your kisses
speaks of love;
our love asks but people put
their doubts away
Copyright R. N. Taber 1982; 2012
[From: Tracking the Torchbearer by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2012]
Today's poem first appeared on my gay-interest blog in 2013 with 'Listening to Love' as an alternative title. To read the preamble I posted then, you are welcome to take a look; simply type the title in the subject field of my other poetry blog:
https://aspectsofagaymanslifeinverse.blogspot.com
I wrote this poem while recovering from a severe nervous breakdown for which having been made to feel something of a freak for years because of my sexuality was partly responsible. Writing has always been a form of creative therapy for me; it contributed considerably to my recovery as did my resolving, once and for all, to stop playing Jack-in-the-box with my sexual identity.
Meanwhile, here's wishing everyone that inner peace and love which, for many of us, remains sadly elusive. Whatever, we must rise above the naysayers of our time as best we can, take each day as it comes, resolve to look on the bright side of life and enjoy whats on offer; wherever the latter found significantly wanting, we can but focus on and work to effect change for the better, each in our own way, however long it takes.
Did I say it was easy? But we can do it. You only have to look how much public opinion has changed for the better towards LGBT issues - in many a socio-cultural-religious environment - since the Stonewall riots in New York, 1969.
LGBT relationships have existed behind closed doors for centuries; there will always be bigots who know no better, but we owe it to the next generation to make sure the more positive attitudes towards sexuality are not made to do an about-turn by any less discerning influences; every society has those, too, of course, not least amongst its more vocal socio-cultural-religious lobbies whose only concern is self-interest in one form or another.
LISTENING TO LOVE
Love gave me flowers
that faded away;
Love gave me kisses
that faded away;
Love told me any doubts
would fade away
Love did not mind
we’re gay
People took your flowers,
threw them away;
they scorned our kisses,
called us names;
the same people warned us
we’d rue the day
Some people mind
we’re gay
The language of flowers
speaks of love;
the heat of your kisses
speaks of love;
our love asks but people put
their doubts away
Copyright R. N. Taber 1982; 2012
[From: Tracking the Torchbearer by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2012]
Labels: bigotry, culture, dogma, global conscience, global consciousness, human nature, human spirit, life, love, mind-body-spirit, personal space, poetry, prejudice, religion, sexuality, society, time
posted by R. N. Taber | 09:04
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