Darren White Poet Free verse

Notes About The Poem

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This is NOT about me personal. It's about people I know/knew, older than I am, who grew up in a time where it wasn't easy to be homosexual.

Wonderful Love, Hateful Love

It made us ill, so very sick. Love did,
The silent killer.
The hate and ignorance of people...
     Wonderful love, hateful love.
     Glances stolen at school gates,
     Sport fields, trains and buses.
          The grazing knuckles across cheeks,
          Smiles, strafing past.
          There was always that wish,
          A longing to hold hands
          Without people staring,
          To kiss without their nauseous looks.
                       That pain deep inside that we try to hide
                       By smiling, talking loud, and fighting;
                       By denial, closets, being straighter than straight;
                       By marrying, having children...
                       And then be more unhappy.
               Wonderful love, hateful love.
               They say love is love,
               But what they really mean is that the only love
               Is between opposite sexes.
               And that? that is really sickening.

***

                             It made us ill, so very sick. Love did.
                             Wonderful love, hateful love.
                             With my hands I shave your head,
                 This sharp knife, this fatty soap.
                 My hands softly caress your cheeks.
                 Pull your head against my shoulder,
     Arrange the oxygen so it won’t bother you.
     I hold you in my lap and hum
     The wonderful lullabies,
     The songs your grandma sang for you.
                    Love, this is love, the same love
                    They feel for their loved ones
                    When they’re dying,
                    The way you’re dying.

***

I cry, 
so much I cry!
You’re a hole in my 
life. We all have holes 
in our lives, Where loved 
ones used to live I miss 
you terribly. Love...
Wonderful love, 
hateful love.

***

March 24, 2017 
Copyright © Darren White

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Tim Smith April 2, 2017 at 7:48 PM A very beautiful poem Darren White April 2, 2017 at 11:31 PM Thank you, Tim :)

Lynn Marie April 2, 2017 at 7:30 PM Such an important piece, so sad to read, heartbreaking for all who live your profound words. With awareness comes acceptance,. Your poetry and you Darren, are "the yellow brick road" to Love:-) much love, healing and smiles to you :-) lynnxxx Darren White April 2, 2017 at 11:30 PM Lynn, thank you so much, and I completely agree :)

Doug Vinson April 2, 2017 at 10:23 AM Too bad that the fears and prejudices of a relatively few people, hundreds and thousands of years ago, are still with us. Darren White April 2, 2017 at 10:36 AM They still are, Doug... if I walk hand in hand with my boyfriend, they stare at us, kissing is even worse. We (spoken in general) look over our shoulders when we walk together.

Eileen Manassian April 2, 2017 at 2:53 AM DARREN....Darren...this tore at my heart. I don't have words to express what I feel having read this. I just want to send you warm hugs...healing hugs...empathetic thoughts...and love. I'm glad you are back posting, even though it is such a heart rending piece. It needs to be read. I will share it with my students...if that's ok. Hugs, dear one Darren White April 2, 2017 at 2:56 AM Thank you Eileen, you are welcome to share it. I will add a note that this is not about me personal. It's about people I know, older than I am, who grew up in a time where it wasn't easy to be homosexual.