By Dale Boyer
Some trees need a fire
to start their seedlings; redwoods
germinate this way. Centuries from now,
they’ll tower proudly here.
May those who find them bring a flame.
Dale W. Boyer received his MFA in Writing from Vermont College. His writing has appeared in numerous publications, including AWP, The Evergreen Chronicles, and many others. He lives and works in Chicago with his partner, Scot O’Hara.
***Note: ONLINE ONLY CONTRIBUTIONS***
My kingdom is far away
By Christopher Stephen Soden
And though I cannot hear
the notes of my songbird,
or glimpse his plumage,
I will not forget the sanctity
of my birth. I do not
expect to be honored
here, though the God
who harvested your stars
plucked mine as well.
Forgive me if I find
some of your subjects slow,
my passions confound them
somehow, repulse them,
as if they had found a child
raiding the sugar bowl.
As if they cannot understand
that sweet is sweet.
If you could only smell the dark
blossoms of my country,
taste the fruits of our orchards,
I would name them for you,
weave them into the great tent
of our history. It is always easy
to mock another’s customs,
paths that terrify or astonish.
While I am supposed to believe
that casting salt or imbibing
ersatz blood or the cloaking
of brides are the practices
of an enlightened culture.
I would not presume to instruct
you on the care of outcasts,
only suggest a country’s values
are reflected in the treatment
of its prisoners. You cannot imagine
how I miss my home.
my groom. Even now
he is filling the basin
with hot water and lather.
He is daubing his temples
with a rich, delectable salve.
He is singing my name,
to the weary sun.
He is asking the sovereign
of all worlds
for my safe return.
This poem will also appear in the anthology Gay City 2, edited by Vincent Kovar, later this year.
Christopher Stephen Soden is a writer, performer, teacher, lecturer and critic. He received his MFA in Writing (Poetry) from Vermont College of Fine Arts in January 2005, his play, Blackbird was included in the LSU Outworks Festival in April 2009 and he currently writes theatre critique for EDGEdallas.com.