poem for the week

it seems that i am always attempting to "clean" up my life...cluttered and disorganized...i sometimes imagine what it would be like if i were "together." in any event, this is an ongoing process with me and one that i will probably never master...or want to for that matter. however, in this latest spurt to organize i have been attempting to file away papers, etc. in the really nice filing cabinet that i have. until now, it has stood next to my desk, empty. this leads me to the poem of the week. i found my poetry books and i was reading through them. i used to write poetry and short fiction all of the time but since i have been in graduate school i just haven't felt the interest...not that i think my poetry/writing is any good...quite the opposite but for nostalgic reasons i think that i will put up a poem that i wrote way back in 1993...wow, at the tender age of 25. here it goes...

applying for heterosexual status

"when the applicant comes in

make sure that he is properly dressed
absolutely no purple or pink...anywhere.

make sure he understands that
picking flowers is no longer an option
anymore and neither is holding or hugging
anyone except for the occasional girlfriend
or wife (and even then use discretion).

make sure he deepens his voice...
facial hair would be nice and advise
him to rape a woman (mentally or
physically) if he is certain that he can get
away with it.

make sure that he holds a job that
requires him to wear a suite,
construction clothes, or at least
a tie.

make sure that he does not lisp.

make sure he understands that truly
caring for anything should be avoided at all costs
and if, by chance, he does, order him
to kill it. Speaking of death, encourage
him to join the military or the NRA...it's manly
enough and very patriotic.

make sure he eats a lot of meat.
hunting and killing defenseless
life-forms should also be considered
an appropriate hobby to pursue...and/or golf.
populate, populate, populate, populate
this world and by all means express
to him the importance of setting an
example for future generations."

oaw (12/29/93)

i should've added something about church or religion...i think the populate, populate sentence does this but i can't remember what i had in mind. i don't know what prompted me to write this...i think i was fed up with "straight acting" white gay men.
also, if i were to revise this i would add something to the effect:
"make sure he incorporates the conjunction 'but'
it's a useful word because he will be able to qualify any
misogynist, racist, and/or homophobic utterance that he wants
to relay...for example:'let me say that i am a pro-feminist male but...blah blah blah." or
'i'm all for letting people live and let live but...blah, blah, blah."
'i've written and edited books on sexism and homophobia but...blah, blah, blah."