Nebraska Queer

For Juliet

F**k you Nebraska, you give me sickness, you took my blood -

I was only 17, small town lesbian. Such witch trial tragedy, you killed my lover.

What is the dirt of me, what is the angel in God rags. She hates f**s.

Someone should have known better. I was small then - 14 candles old.

I was bleeding at 12, my red panties washed the cut of my sexuality.

Hid the smears. My friend carried the harlot gun, I used to share her.

I saw Juliet, at 13, she pecked me -

It tasted like something, not sweet, pepper, or bitter poppy seeds.

He held me down on Easter day, and blacked out my queerness -

He said for me to slit small hearts and touch gray. To know the pure love of His love.

I looked at the clock and the hands felt my chest - my unsung n*****s flattened.

I fell into glass splinters -

Became ice glints -

A little girl of no consequence. I faded plump; my teeth a somnolent metal.

I am drifting off to sleep. She was the everyone -

A kettle whistles in the kitchen. A hair-shirt. A bead of sweat.

I love the taste of a cool Nebraska night. It tastes like orange crush -

Like opium on my lips.

Reviews

[Baby Ricochet]

Wow! Some heavy duty meat in this poem. The kind that smacks your face. Outstanding work Rosalind

[Rosalind Gale]

Thanks so much Baby -
-x-

[Mark]

Nebraska... an apt setting for a poem like this.. set in the heart of the heartlland where Jesus followers forget what he taught and remember only they are going to heaven for 'accepting him into their hearts'. Little do they know, when the time comes, acceptance may not be.

Bright and dark, surreal and concrete; your poems are a pleasure always.

[Rosalind Gale]

Thank you Mark, your words really do mean a lot to me -
-x-

[Dotty Gale]

I love you Rosie, I won't stop, ever. We're all together. You are everything to me, and such a wonderful writer. You break my heart, every day. See you tonight baby girl -
XOXOX!

[Dotty Gale]

And you know I love all your poems - even when you borrow lines from me! (just kidding!) x0x0x0

[Rosalind Gale]

I love you too - call me before you head home.
-xxx-

[Will]

Wow. That really caught me. The pain, agony, and angry sadness of the speaker is apparent, and you really tell a tragic story of tragedy, prejudice, and hate, but also one of love and longing. You've done a fabulous job. Way to go.

[Rosalind Gale]

Thank you very much Will, this poem means a lot to me - and it means a lot that you found it to be agreeable, to you, too.
-x-

[jacob erin-cilberto]

this really moved me...we felt the intense emotion and regret of the speaker.

because of others' prejudice...everyone suffers in one way or another.

anybody who is different doesn't fit in, and is not allowed...

you have to be perfectly normal...as if anyone ever is...and who are they to judge.

well in the end they will be judged, and they won't be happy with the decision.

[Rosalind Gale]

Thank you so much Jacob, I will not go into detail as to what this poem means to me, being able to write it, I just want to say thank you, and I am happy it moved you, truly.
-x-