5. Galapagos

Fifth part of a sequence:
1. Hotel Peninsula
2. Daylilies
3. Clear Wrap
4. Visual Sense

5. Galapagos

Isn’t it possible to have a great conversation with a gay man without talking about sex...

We shall not talk about sex. We shall not talk
about Jacques Torres hot chocolate on Water Street
nor Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory in summer heat.
No more talk about sex. We shall talk about New York.

We shall not talk about sex. We shall not talk
about the bags and multiple pairs of shoes
you bought from Macy’s, nor the round-island cruise
we never took. Yes, we shall talk about New York,

we shall not talk about sex. We shall not talk
about Darwin and natural selection though
we have observed the turtles of Galapagos.
We shall not talk about reptile sex in New York;

we shall not talk about sex. We shall not talk
about that Arab waiter we both eyed at Tut
nor the white woman at the harpsichord my gut
yearned for so much I could not talk. This is New York

where, if we shan’t talk about sex, we shan’t talk
about the ebony black man on the F train
ranting, I’ll kill ya, black bitch, to the windowpane
of everyone’s blank face. We shall talk about New York.

Comments

Larry said…
Jee, I've been enjoying the sequence with all its wit and self-contained obsessions. The language is especially crisp and flexible, you've struck a lovely balance there.

Many thanks,
Larry
12:52 AM
Jee Leong said…
Thanks, Larry, for reading the sequence and leaving such a nice comment. The writing is more discursive and diffused than my usual lyrics or lyrical narratives. I'm glad you find something in it to enjoy.

Jee Leong
8:11 AM
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