Sexuality – Terry Hopper
6Sexuality
Terry Hopper
Luton, Bedfordshire
UK
You don’t worry about my appearance … Nor fret about my stance …
Don’t question my position … About how I talk or dance …
No comment on my politics … Or thoughts about my friends …
No questions on my fashion … My wayward liberal trends …
No opinions on my work job … Nor the car I drive …
The protests or the causes … From the starving to the Pride.
You don’t worry about my lifestyle … Or see the smile that hides the frown …
Nor the tears of sadness … When I refrain from being the clown …
No fretting about me at any time … So safe in your cocoon.
Your heterosexual feelings … Beam upon me like the moon …
If friendship is forever … No matter who we are …
Whichever way the wind blows … No matter what the scar …
Then tell me please be honest … If none my faults harm do …
Why my sexuality … Terrifies the bloody hell out of you
Bio: Terry says this piece is about when your sexuality scares the hell out of someone who claims to be your friend.
Very well written Terry. Very poignant
Hi Terry I liked your poem even if I didn’t agree with it all. I feel people judge me on my appearance – always on my singing and dancing – often on my friendships (I hang out a lot with children and old people – pick up hitch hikers and talk to strangers) – some people don’t seem afraid to judge me on my political views or my near liberal fashion – I definitely think people judge me for home-schooling – home birthing and having more than two point five children –
But still I don’t think this is what your poem is about – I think it’s about the pain people feel from being ridiculed or isolated in this crazy world. To love and not judge seems a hard thing to do but not impossible – I also enjoy reading poems that overcome adversity.
All the best
Mel
Thanks Mel …I know many people who unfortunately are shunned by society because of their sexual orientation …it sickens me that today we still have bigots that just can`t accept people for who they are regardless …too may discriminations …live and let live …is my motto
Terry
Thankyou for your comments and feed back …the poem is taken from the view that whilst certain people in our lives except us for who we are and what we are in 99.999999 % of the time ….the one thing that scares the hell out of them is if our sexuality is different from their own …its not bigotry.. nor is its ignorance … …its just the mind set …being uneducated …and the fear of the unknown ….or basic stereotyping
Terry, it seems that intolerance is the quality in human beings that is the most difficult to eradicate. We drum our prejudices (be they good or bad) into our children from an early age. I congratulate you on your courage to confront them in this poem. Well done. James.
Powerful!