Poetry Friday - Valhalla

Valhalla

the prison of their loving: in a crush,
crammed in a booth, around a table with
the guys. loosened by beer, their elbows brush.
they feel their closeness, breathe each other's breath.

they talk about their grades and basketball
and girls and cars, you know the kind of stuff.
in a more perfect world, talk would be all,
but in this one it isn't quite enough.

if they could rise above their bodies' needs
they'd always stay here, clothed in glory, fresh
together, and rehearsing mighty deeds:
a world of words and visions, not of flesh.

the waitress brings another pitcher round,
not guessing in what guise the gods are bound.

[1978 or 1979]

Poetry Friday - Valhalla

Valhallathe prison of their loving: in a crush,crammed in a booth, around a table withthe guys. loosened by beer, their elbows brush.they feel their closeness, breathe each other's breath.they talk about their grades and basketballand girls and cars, you know the kind of stuff.in a more perfect world, talk would be all,but in this one it isn't quite enough.if they could rise above their bodies'

Poetry Friday - Valhalla

Valhallathe prison of their loving: in a crush,crammed in a booth, around a table withthe guys. loosened by beer, their elbows brush.they feel their closeness, breathe each other's breath.they talk about their grades and basketballand girls and cars, you know the kind of stuff.in a more perfect world, talk would be all,but in this one it isn't quite enough.if they could rise above their bodies'

Men Without Women

It’s probably good luck that I saw Blood In Blood Out, Taylor Hackford’s 1993 film about Chicano life in East Los Angeles and San Quentin, right after I wrote the previous post about male homoeroticism, sexless love between men, and movies. BIBO, scripted by the Chicano writer Jimmy Santiago Baca, follows three young men from their late teens to their early thirties. They begin in 1972,

Men Without Women

It’s probably good luck that I saw Blood In Blood Out, Taylor Hackford’s 1993 film about Chicano life in East Los Angeles and San Quentin, right after I wrote the previous post about male homoeroticism, sexless love between men, and movies. BIBO, scripted by the Chicano writer Jimmy Santiago Baca, follows three young men from their late teens to their early thirties. They begin in 1972,