{"sf1_id":1158322,"sf2_id":"rn67LEG1","title":"An Ode to the Small-Town Gay","author":"charles_they","words":135,"posted_at":"2017-03-16T05:23:15.000Z","tags":["Ode","Poem","Poetry","Queerness","Small-town","queer"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1158322-an-ode-to-the-small-town-gay","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/rn67LEG1","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/81/87/81871f81-ac51-4ef7-82db-1e364584f728","description":"\"Queer Flight,\" as some have taken to calling it, is a phenomenon I've been pondering for a while now.  \n  \nOn one hand, few people want to be the small-town gay. Queer youth exists in small towns, of course, albeit some of them may not openly express themselves for a variety of reasons. But, when the scant queer youth one finds gets older, there tends to be a desire to move to highly queer areas (SF, Vancouver, NYC, Chicago, Montreal, etc), again, for a number of reasons. Most predominantly, because it's nice to be around people who are like you, I find. It makes sense.  \n  \nOn the other hand, queerness becomes and remains obscure/abnormal in the small town because it drains away to already queer areas. Because few stay, queerness isn't obviously seen. Because it isn't obviously seen, people don't adapt as quickly to it. And because people aren't adapted to it, few want to stay. It's not a great existence, to be the pioneer small-town gay--so what's the solution?  \n  \nI've no idea.","content":"### Ode to the Small-Town Gay\n\nThe small-town gay is seldom seen /\n\nThey disappear once past eighteen /\n\nTo western coasts and city scenes /\n\nNo matter where, they find the means /\n\nThe small-town gay's a thankless job /\n\nTo bear the looks and hurts they lob /\n\nTo be the butt of jokes of knobs /\u0026nbsp;\n\nAnd cry, alone, heart-rending sobs /\n\nThe small-town gay sees not the day /\n\nWhen their life _there_ does change the way /\n\nFor youth confused, lost in the mays /\n\nThe be's, be-not's, and haze of haaaaays /\n\nThe small-town gay predates the queer /\u0026nbsp;\n\nAs they were ours, then _they_ were _here_ /\n\nThe latter fled in face of fears /\n\nThe few who stayed became our peers.\n\n* * *\n\n-Charles Michael Averin","series":{"name":"Poetry Postings","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1157039-war-drums.json","next":"https://sofurry.com/s/dePQXpYm"}}