P-R-I-D-E

men with mullets hug wooden crosses
and handout light pink carnations
they say, “jesus loves you, you know.”
I know and I wrap my rainbow feather boa
around my neck and it tickles my nose
and little boys who finally feel comfortable
and might die of AIDS or maybe they’ll just get herpes
grab the boa and tell me I’m beautiful
and I smile and they say, “love you.”
the bathroom is filthy and I wonder how
many people have had sex in here
at one time
the wall says something about baptizing gerbils
and more about butt sex
the toilet seat is wet

the boy in the hall
braced, unblemished face
swears he is straight
but I laugh in his face
like I’d care even if he was
and then Blondie starts to
sing about kissing me deadly


I would like to leave
to go to
pineapple hills or coconut knolls
where drinks are cheap
and the bathrooms walls
don’t say anything