Poem 22 ± World AIDS Day 2017

Bernadette Crawford Two Poems   Winter in July Ice under blue skies The women in the office wrap themselves in chunky knits A careless glance freezes my voice You are lost inside your too-big cardy You know I know but shake your head press your finger to your lips We speak no words Later that … [Read more…]

Poem 21 ± World AIDS Day 2017

Casey Charles Salt Brothers on the Coast of East Africa The sea comes sideways to Saadani, northeast from India. All day she rakes grains from red pools into white mounds. The men shoulder sacks down the levy, salt ready for Dar. Sometimes three bags her brothers stacked on their backs. Sinews spent. Midnights they rolled … [Read more…]

Poem 20 ± World AIDS Day 2017

Norman Belanger Clean Are you clean? My Grndr date asks me. I pretend not to know what he means. Are you disease free? He asks. (It says on my profile “POZ” My status is no secret But who reads anymore?) He’s cute, too young, his name is Kenny When I tell him His pretty eyes … [Read more…]

Poem 19 ± World AIDS Day 2017

Rodney Terich Leonard Carnal In A Time of PrEP # M4M— lights low on my knees or ass up vgl/ddf white, 29, gym body sane & safeub2HIV-negative as of yesterday 10/08/15 love to down & mount BBC total anonymous here prefer DL daddy types cock pic gets reply # October’s beyond didanosine or videx® stavudine … [Read more…]

Poem 18 ± World AIDS Day 2017

Jasper Wirtshafter Love letter to the negative space of our queer elders. An entire generation of martyrs, known only for their death rattles only ashes, hazmat suit funerals full of empty seats, friends already in the ground. They refused to bury you with dignity; our culture is built from your bones. Now, we take pills … [Read more…]

Poem 17 ± World AIDS Day 2017

Marjorie Moorhead Starlight in My Pocket A song I’m learning says, “Catch a falling star.” It says, “put in your pocket.” A clue: keep it there for when needed, when things look blue. Keep it, for when troubles start growing, creating a fright. The song says, “and they just might.” Troubles are easy to forget … [Read more…]

Poem 16 ± World AIDS Day 2017

Irene Borger 1992 day-off, free tickets someone’s misguided idea of a good time Fourteen young dancers have come to Universal Studios. Eleven are orphans. In the next hour, we will pass a shoot-out at the old corral, a sea monster attack, a fake earthquake in a fake subway station and an exploding bridge. I’m there … [Read more…]

Poem 15 ± World AIDS Day 2017

Joseph Dorazio Two Poems   Sanguinary He wished he had died from AIDS in his prime —not survival guilt, his place on the quilt; on lucky days the Aztecs plucked ripe young men, their unzipped chests sustained a sun, while Quetzalcoatl lubed in blood got fucked.   Moving Day Moving is like dying— only you … [Read more…]

Poem 14 ± World AIDS Day 2017

John Whittier Treat Smallpox First Came to the Pacific Northwest in 1770 —In homage to Thom Gunn’s poem, “To a Friend in Time of Trouble” It finds it has lost itself upon The smooth red body of a young madrone, I built my home long ago among the madrona trees From which it turns toward the … [Read more…]

Poem 13 ± World AIDS Day 2017

Ed Madden Bedside, 1995 —For Sam you were the first though you were not the first that is I had known others though I hadn’t known some only after you knew us but you didn’t know us you looked around the white room the bright air your body all agitation my fella once yours stood … [Read more…]