Joy born into sorrow
Not by choice or the will of men
But the love in his heart made him gay
Fellow men said
Joy made God sad
Cos his love was male
Joy goes to hell
A room filled with hate
For brothers loving brothers
Shower him shame
Heaped with hate
Mangle his mind
His love is artificial
But enjoy his art
Songs of his heart
Source of his soul
Steal his soil
For he has no right to
Pass property to his partner
It must remain in the family
According to African traditions
Death for love, heart imprisoned
Honey was taboo, joy unapproved
A crime for two consenting adults
Or two similar minors
To love and be free
II
If God is love
Love is godly
If man loves men
Man is godly
Pastors of hate
Terrorists of joy
Poachers of love
Shooting happy men
Is love by force?
Can I love a God?
Who can’t love my man?
And my love for men
Oh Benevolent Destroyer
Pillar of bearded prophets
Heavenly host of killers
Paradise is bed for bigots
Cornucopia of chauvinists
Christ returns for his take away
Men raptured into banquet of fire
I pray to remain here with my lover
III
My son loved a man and hate filled my heart
I love God and must kill them at first sight
I pray they change because I can never change
Not for love, not at the risk of death
Are you coming to church, my brother?
No love for the Lord! He broke my heart
His people hate my love and killed my man
Can’t be with a God who wants me dead and
I don’t wanna live in heaven without my man
Come my brother, God loves you still
You sound like God is doing favours
Love is not a favour, not to me, brother
I don’t want to be tolerated or forgiven
I have done no wrong by loving a man
I just need more grace to love him more
Why should I commit suicide, bro!
Because a nigga loves a man
Because a nigga sucks like God
Because a nigga fucks like mad
Joy is a gift to pretty fellas, bro!
It makes you gay and happy
Are you gay during Ramadan?
Are you straight during Lent?
Cross and Crescent in love
My baby is a sweet date palm
We lay on the mat under the
Dogonyaro tree facing the West
His feet made me forget my faith
My meat made him accept our fate
Fourteen years to death, you and I
Forever living joy can’t expire
********
Post image via Manufactoriel
About the Author:
Amatesiro Dore is a 2009 alumnus of the Farafina Trust Creative Writing Workshop; former Managing Editor of Vanguard Spark, imprint of Vanguard Newspapers; and 2015 Fellow of the Ebedi International Writers Residency. He has been published by Kwani?, Farafina, YNaija, The ScoopNG, Vanguard Newspaper, The Brittle Paper, Bakwa Magazine and The Kalahari Review.
Strange Horizons - Amatesiro Dore By Geoff Ryman June 15, 2019 06:03
[…] came out in August. I did the ‘queer poetry’ called ‘Joy’ 2015 which was published in Brittle Paper, and that was my outlet. I’d become Amatesiro Dore. The writing just worked […]