AFTER WOLFENDEN
like hermit crabs out of their shells
they came, all pink and personal
blinking in the freedom of light
they looked around
not over their shoulder
slightly wiser
and slightly older.
Comments
<Deleted User> (13762)
Mon 31st Jul 2017 22:22
my turn to play cowardly custard Ray and read the previous comments which have shed light on this snippetty snip of a decent poem. ?
great imagery ray. short and powerful.
How apt - neatly outing the absence of reason in rhyme!
To take up David's point about the services:
I recall someone in the navy telling of
a certain popular gunnery officer of that particular persuasion who would order "Shoot" with emphasis and
effect...the cause of much hilarity and no resentment at all when life itself was at immediate risk.
And then, of course, there is the history of all those young guardsmen making themselves available. Another variant on
"The Queen's shilling"! :-)
Gorgeous image.
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raypool
Tue 1st Aug 2017 21:39
Thanks David you have quite rightly pointed out the injustices that came out of this sexual preference; prejudice runs deep in the psyche. We do well to examine our own feminine and masculine balances rather than cast them out.
Glad you like this Hazel, thanks.
Thank you Mark. You always bring personal views from experience - certainly "widens" the issue somewhat.
I'm glad you have peeked into my shadowy rooms Stu, nice and much appreciated.
Touche Col. You are the guardian of the threshold.
Thanks for the like Michaela. All the best for your new venture!
Just to say I have had some experience of this world on leaving school working amongst gay men in a theatre box office - quite daunting but there were upsides as well as backsides (sorry, downsides). I assimilated their strange world at the time which of course was always under threat. I would say they were tolerated by the boss who was straight as a die. Variety is essential in this life.
Love to all . Ray