TODAY WE REMEMBER SYLVESTER. WE CELEBRATE HIS LIFE, ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THE COURAGE HE DEMONSTRATED AS A PERSON OF COLOR, A GAY MALE AND AS A PERSON LIVING WITH AIDS. HE ONCE SAID "SOMETIMES PEOPLE MAKE US FEEL STRANGE. BUT THOSE FOLKS, THEY'LL JUST HAVE TO CATCH UP." TWENTY ONE YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH, THOSE WORDS STILL RING TRUE. SO HERE'S TO YOU, OUR QUEEN. YOU WERE MORE THAN DISCO. YOU WERE REVOLUTION SINGING AND FOR YOU I HAVE WRITTEN A POEM:
.:My Body Strong:.
I wish I was there with you
Dancing until my eyes burned
Making me see visions of a sexy Jesus
I wish I was there witnessing gospel
Watching you give service
As your followers, parishioners watched you in awe
Trying to recognize that one thing in you
That made being a brown man in heels
So damn fuckin’ sexy and cool
Especially in an 8 inch rhinestone shoe.
I wish I was there with you
There by your side
Ready to testify that feelin’ might real
Is revolutionary in stiletto heels.
I wish I was there
Walking outside the line
At a time when insanity was contagious
When speaking the queen’s English
Meant you were listening to a great speaker
A prophet.
I hear you say to me
You are star, everybody is one
No one like you now
And there will be no one after
You gotz to be alien
Out of this damn world
Such an “X” factor
Accented with the perfect touch
Of Max Factor
You light me
And shine me
With your sequence
Your shimmy
I become intense with hunger
And unapologetic selfishness
Screaming “Give me more!”
I wish you were here
To see us bare witness
To all these bits and pieces that survive in us
Because of you
Living proof
Trust is joy
And joy is truth and only someone like you
Could have bound our harsh realities
Into glorious tunes
That send us running to the center of floor
Kicking our legs up high
Wailing our voices until strained
Dancing soaked, sweat
Wet from liberation,
My eyes full of bass
My body strong with rhythm
My hands full with my face
And my legs full with your spirit
My spirit full of affirmation
That is when I know you are here
Keepin’ it mighty real.
copyright 2009
2 comments:
I like the poem, He sounds like an amazing guy.
Love Sylvester!!! I'm trying to get his autobiography book which I hear is amazing.
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