Three Degrees Of Seperation

As I try to be my self I am now at ease
with the idea of neighbours and friends
being familiar about who they think I am.
Though I was never settled with family
saying who they thought I was
-it brought out their coldest aggression.

Friends and neighbours
will always be partially right.
What I have to be careful about
is what they are right about,
and accept the rest as 'normal error'.

I have not always been this assured.

Back when I was young and gay
denial went hand in glove with men
who waved their willies in public toilets
-for the comfort of others as much as themselves.

But for all our awkward silences
we often knew more about the man
who was standing in the next urinal
than what we could see in front of us.

For having nowhere private
from family or other mens wives
where we could say who we were.

We remained friends without common interests.

.