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@ 27.055 MHz: Ad Astra; Reminiscence Of Swedening
He added to my life, that year, his beauty and sweetening;
he who was known in familiar frequencies as Swedening
(his heritage). But prejudice, around us, was too efficient;
thus, my feelings were left unexpressed, too craven and reticient.
Young person who might read this, receive it in a serious mood:
do not let the primitive prejudice of a hater or a prude
interfere with the nature of your love, or infiltrate or intrude
upon it, or cause you the least delay or hesitation
to love whom you need to love, who brings your soul to exultation.
Starward
[*/+/^]
I believe you just changed
I believe you just changed some lives.
You can call this penance or guidance in a world where "prejudice, around us, was too efficient" (as it is today), but I call it liberation. Your eloquent, heart-gripping advice opens the doors of societal prisons where lovers languish in the cruel clutches of "what could have been" and self-loathing because they succumbed to intimidation.
This is also a stunning and unflinching mission statement that is as important as it is beautiful.
Standing by you in your support of a basic, human right.
Thank you, so much, for that
Thank you, so much, for that validation. I shall be glad if this poem, or if any of the poems in this series, makes life a little easier for those who may still struggle as I struggled in my adolescence; I want them to know they are not alone, they are not perverts, and they should not be ashamed to embrace their natures, and love whom they need to love. That is my humble hope for this poem, and the series that contains it.
Comments from you are always precious to me; but this comment, at a time when you are grieving, is especially previous. I had told you, months ago, of Etienne, my friend from college. This poem is about him, and about my utter failure to treat him as well as he treated me. He bore me no ill will afterward; but I bear tremendous ill will both to my younger self, that blundered the opportunity to take the friendship to a higher level, and to those around us, on campus and off, whose prejudices brought out the coward in me. He, too, is in Heaven, now. I know he will greet your Father warmly.
Starward
I'm deeply moved and
I'm deeply moved and comforted by your uplifting expression. You've done so much for others; please try to forgive yourself for being human. I've fallen into the snare of societal pressure more times than I want to admit, and I understand the gnawing pain of regret, but I would say that you've made amends a hundred times over.
But that doesn't mean you should ever discontinue your poetic calling to bring courage and solidarity to those who suffer from social tyranny and a very unnecessary identity crisis.
Etienne, I'm certain, cheers every time another flame of hope is lit by your pen.
God bless.