I just watched a video on YouTube of a poetry reading/spoken word performance by Andrea Gibson. It was phenomenal. 12 minutes, three pieces and at the end I had exactly zero words. Amazing. Watch it and enjoy it. It also made me think about some things. About me and my wife and our marriage. I haven't always been the best husband, but overall we are pretty damn good together. Everyone can see it, we don't try and hide it. But we have gay friends that don't get the same things that we get. Living in a big city, they can be together and no one really bats an eye, but as of this writing they can't be married in that city. They can't go through that ceremony in front of their friends and family and say the vows. There are civil unions, but as I heard someone say recently (and I wish I could remember because I would totally give them credit for it), certain words have MEANING. And marriage is one of them.
Untitled Poem Number Whatever
As it stands before the Supremes
Not Diana and the girls
But the nine justices in D.C.
Here's hoping that they realize what justice is
It's not justice that a man can't marry his boyfriend
Like so many hasty Las Vegas girls can marry theirs
It's not justice that a girl can't marry their girlfriend
Like young eloping boys can run off and marry theirs
"Justice" Antonin Scalia has it wrong
And if he were to read my words and want to speak in person
Privately or publicly I would tell him to his face
You sir, have it wrong.
Is it justice for my friends and the friends of others I know
That if my wife and long time companion goes into the hospital
That I can see her, be with her, make decisions for her
When others cannot for their long time companions
Can "teh gays" raise a child? This is a question too?
In my job, after many many years
I wonder if some straight parents deserve the children that they have
When I see dirty clothes, squalid homes, broken bones and dreams.
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It makes me angry that my friends have found their one
The one that they love, honor, cherish
But the ceremonies and the rites that were afforded to me
Aren't the same ceremonies and rights that they have as well.
