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Epithalamium
A kiss. Train ride home from a late dinner,
City Hall and document signing. Wasn’t cold
but we cuddled in an empty car, legal.
Last month a couple of guys left a gay bar
and were beaten with poles on the way
to their car. No one called them faggot
so no hate crime’s documented. A beat down
is what some pray for, a pulse left to count.
We knew we weren’t protected. We knew
our rings were party favors, gold to steal
the shine from. We couldn’t protect us,
knew the law wouldn’t know how. Still, his
beard across my brow, the burn of his cologne.
When the train stopped, the people came on.
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Phillip B Williams is a Chicago native and author of Mutiny (Penguin, 2021), winner of the American Book Award, and Thief in the Interior (Alice James Books, 2016), winner of the 2017 Kate Tufts Discovery Award and a 2017 Lambda Literary award. He received a 2017 Whiting Award and was a Helen Putman fellow for the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. He is founding faculty of Randolph College low res MFA.
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Vintage photo of two Black men at the beach, from the Flickr exhibition Hidden in the Open, curated by Trent Kelley
What a beautiful love poem! The political/cultural shadow of cruelty makes it that much more poignant and urgent. Bravo!
Posted by: Denise Duhamel | May 07, 2023 at 10:04 AM
Good poem. Terrific last line.
Posted by: susan campbell | May 07, 2023 at 10:20 AM
"Still, his beard across my brow, the burn of his cologne."
the truth is always after our 'still.'
MAGNIFICENT POEM
Posted by: Grace Cavalieri | May 07, 2023 at 10:26 AM
Beautiful poem. Love it.
Posted by: Eileen | May 07, 2023 at 11:34 AM
Slow burn beautiful poem.
Posted by: Bill Nevins | May 07, 2023 at 12:20 PM
agree with all of the comments above, thanx for the poem and post
Posted by: lally | May 07, 2023 at 12:51 PM
Oh my. I am not usually a orating person but I pray for this couple and for all loving couples to be safe in their love.
Posted by: Clarinda | May 07, 2023 at 09:08 PM
A deeply affecting, beautifully crafted poem. How sad to have to live with such fear.
Posted by: Lisa Siegrist | May 07, 2023 at 11:20 PM
Beautiful, controlled poem.
Posted by: Gerald Fleming | May 08, 2023 at 02:47 PM
Nice one.
Posted by: Phyllis Rosenzweig | May 13, 2023 at 09:41 AM