“Tennessee Drag Queen Assembly Queened by Britney Banks” © Robert Fleming

 

Rainbow

With pride, a crock of earthy gold
unless uncovered, hidden, stays.
The marchers pass the entry ramp
to church door, railings rainbow-wrapped,
blooms colour-spread, small window, pained.
From within, a woman, oldest
of the group waves in crowd, to one.
Connection made between two souls,
this lycra man, strides, takes the slope,
to meet his greeter behind glass –
gracious, in wheelchair, frame confined.
The gap of age and cultures spanned,
amazement passed between all eyes,
and furthered gaze at touch of hands.

 

Stephen Kingsnorth, retired to Coedpoeth, Wrexham, Wales, UK, from ministry in the Methodist Church due to Parkinson’s Disease, has had pieces curated by on-line poetry sites, printed journals and anthologies. This piece is about his favourite event at Chester’s (Cheshire, UK) Pride March.

Robert Fleming (b. 1963) is a gay-man, word-artist, and scientist born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada who emigrated to Lewes, Delaware, United States. Robert follows his mother as a visual artist and his grandfather as a poet. In 1986 he published the second psychological research study on gay men’s response to AIDS in United States. Then, in the 1990s he was a contributing member of the District of Columbia’s Triangle Artist group. Now Robert is a founding member and contributing editor of Devil’s Party Press’ Old Scratch Press.