z

Young Writers Society



I'm gay (But I cry alone at night)

by Simbatheking


Rainbows star in my dreams.
I see the proud march through the streets.
The proud and free, indeed. 
 
They say they're not ashamed. 
That they're living better this way. 
 
I cry because I'm still locked down. 
Chastity chained, 
To protect me from myself. 
I will not give in to desires that plague my mind.
 
Sick, and twisted. 
Broken hearted and wrung out.
I want to claw my heart out,
Cry as the night sets. 
 
Used to feeling unfulfilled, 
I'll let my tears mar the white of the sheets. 
Just for some time.
Just enough to stave off the heat of hell fire. 
 
When I'm done, 
I'll be welcomed. 
A saint above them all.
 
I kept the devil locked away.
That's more than the angels can claim to have done.
 
I've conquered death. 
 
But why do I feel like I'm still dead on the inside? 
 


Note: You are not logged in, but you can still leave a comment or review. Before it shows up, a moderator will need to approve your comment (this is only a safeguard against spambots). Leave your email if you would like to be notified when your message is approved.







Is this a review?


  

Comments



User avatar
662 Reviews


Points: 52441
Reviews: 662

Donate
Sun Apr 07, 2013 3:15 pm
dogs wrote a review...



Hello there Simba! Dogs here with your review today. Okey dokey, to start I'd pay attention to several bits of Trident's review, it has some valuable points in it. Well, more about the credibility of the narrator and some of the cliche lines that you use. Although I don't agree entirely with his review, but he does make some valid points. Anywho, back to ze review. I think you have some good points that you make in this poem, and certainly some excellent writing, but you get into trouble with the fluidness of some of those lines when you're trying to make a big point. Let's dive in now shall we?

"Rainbows star in my dreams."

I'm not entirely huge fan of this line either, it's a little stereotypical. Maybe say something more along the lines of "forbidden fantasies plague my dreams." Or some line that focus more on using "forbidden" instead of "rainbows."

"They say they're not ashamed."

Now this line is a little confusing, ashamed of what? Of not being gay? Because I've never met anyone who was ashamed of not being gay. Now, if you mean being homophobic here, than you have more places to take this line. Although, you haven't made it clear that that is what you're insinuating. Try to put a little more clarity to that line.

"That they're living better this way."

Try to omit all useless words whenever you can. Try saying: "That they live better this way" instead.

"I cry because I'm still locked down."

The "locked down" bit of this line is a little odd, because I think it's natural to say "chained down," but you're using "chain" in the next line so that option is knocked out. Thanks for not being repetitive there. I would suggest maybe saying something like: "I cry because I'm still fettered down."

"I will not give in to desires that plague my mind."

Now the rest of this stanza is pretty good, except this line is really throwing me off because it's far longer than all the lines in the rest of the poem. Therego really throwing off your rhythm. Maybe say something like: "I won't succumb to the desires in my mind." Still a little long that way, but it's a little better.

That fourth stanza really bugs me, it's a little overdone and it's cliche. I've heard the phrase "tear my heart out" and "broken hearted" in countless amounts of poems. Surely with your great imagery writing you could certainly find some stronger, less predictable, descriptions to show the reader the pain you're in. I think the focus of this poem should be less of saying how much pain you are in, and more of focusing on the cause of the pain. I want to see a little more focusing on your fight with the devil so to say. That could lead to something more out of the ordinary and really draw in the reader more.

"I'll let my tears mar the white of the sheets."

Again, this line is too long for the rest of the poem. Perhaps try saying: "I'll let these tears mar my white sheets," just to shorten it up. Omit all useless words whenever possible. I like the imagery of this line though, and great use of "mar."

"Just enough to stave off the heat of hell fire."

I read in your previous post that you were trying to insinuate that our narrator is a priest. Well, you have certainly made the reader believe that he may be religious because he's so worried about fighting the devil. But not indications that he is a priest, so go back through your writing and try to make that clearer if you want that to stick more. "A saint above them all." This is the only subtle indication that you have that he might be a priest, but it's far to subtle and the reader won't catch that. I only got it because I read that he was a priest.

"That's more than the angels can claim to have done."

Ok, this line is interesting, I can see both sides of the situation. Where I like how you've set up the kind of corruption in the religious world, but it seems odd that a "priest" would be noticing this and doing nothing about it, considering, that is, he loves his religion and is entirely devoted to it.

Those last two lines are really not doing it for me in this poem, 1: It sounds cliche. 2: You never set up how being gay is death. 3. You never really described why being gay is so bad. Those are three things you need to keep in mind for this ending and the editing if you so choose to do so. All and all this is a good poem, but just missing a few bits of information. I reviewed a little rough on this one because I know your writing is pretty darn spot on and you could seriously improve this to a masterpiece. Let me know if you ever need a review. Keep up the good work!

TuckEr EllsworTh :smt032




User avatar
376 Reviews


Points: 16552
Reviews: 376

Donate
Fri Apr 05, 2013 11:45 am
View Likes
Trident wrote a review...



Hi Simbatheking, here are a few of my thoughts on your poem:

Firstly, as a gay person, I would say that I am versed in LGBT literature and much of what comes along with it. I would just say that I am not quite in agreement with everyone saying that this piece is emotionally valuable and representative of gays. Let me explain:

Rainbows star in my dreams.
I see the proud march through the streets.
The proud and free, indeed.


For the love of God we could not start with a more stereotypical representation of the gay community. And it's so derisive and dismissive. The narrator already loses about 99% of their credibility. Why is there so much projected hatred here?

I cry because I'm still locked down.
Chastity chained,
To protect me from myself.
I will not give in to desires that plague my mind.


Okay, yes this is a bit sad, but more like emotionally-wrought. And self-loathing. It's not ironic, it's not observant; it's homophobic.

And so the crying elicits little sympathy from others unless they are not understanding what you are saying or are of similar mindsets in terms of their biases.

Sick, and twisted.
Broken hearted and wrung out.
I want to claw my heart out,
Cry as the night sets.

Used to feeling unfulfilled,
I'll let my tears mar the white of the sheets.
Just for some time.
Just enough to stave off the heat of hell fire.


I could understand these lines in that they are what the narrator feels about himself. It is a technique that could work. But it's sloppy. And that last line brings in religious overtones that preach.

When I'm done,
I'll be welcomed.
A saint above them all.

I kept the devil locked away.
That's more than the angels can claim to have done.


And wow, this is where I've lost any respect for this poem whatsoever. Keeping the devil locked away is celebrated. Glorified. A thing to be treasured and put on a pedestal. The narrator shows no regret or hesitance. It is absolute. It is undeniable.

But why do I feel like I'm still dead on the inside?


And this little bit at the end does basically next to nothing to redeem the narrator or the poem. It's already gone too far. It's already a lost cause. This observation is less of a regret than simply another revelation that homosexuality is bad. It's not his lack of freedom that he regrets (he's already told us what he thinks of that). It's his repression that causes this dead feeling. The fact that he has the gay inside him and can't get rid of it. It's that he might not be the saint he thought he was.

There are times where exaggeration and irony can be powerful to lure the reader against the narrator and show a cause by negation. But this poem tries to sympathize with all these hurtful ideas. And that makes them deplorable. I think if most of your readers would have really understood what was said here they would not think that this is the plight of a confused gay kid, but a closet case who is so self-loathing that he puts others down to make himself feel better and then wants us to feel bad for him.



Random avatar
Simbatheking says...


Um. I understand where you're coming from but all the complaints you had were exactly what I wanted to portray. I wanted to bring in a narrator who was a homophobe, and who hated himself so very much that he locked himself away from what he was. Find the narrator deplorable, yes, but to say the poem itself is deplorable is ignorant. I wanted to subtly allude to him being a priest, and try to shed light on how their minds work, and to most priests the LGBT community is what is stereotypically portrayed on TV. He says he's kept the devil locked away, because to him "gay" is his demon.
Guess that didn't come across very clearly did it?

Once again, these are not my feelings towards it. I'm a gay man myself, and while that does not make me all knowing, I know that this piece reeks with homophobia and self-loathing and isn't representative of the "gay community". But it's not supposed to do that (represent the LGBT community, that is)-it's a sort of character study. You really think a priest going to love the fact that he's gay and embrace it? (speaking in general terms, I know that there are a few out priests who are happy to be gay, but that's a minority)
I'm sorry for this, and I usually never disagree with people who correct me, but this time I think you got what I wanted to portray wrong.



User avatar


Points: 676
Reviews: 4

Donate
Fri Apr 05, 2013 10:56 am
ImaginatiionIsBest wrote a review...



This is FANTASTIC!
I've re-read this so many times now! It shows the true hurt and pain that gay people have, coming out as gay can be really scary. As I have experienced the pain of this.

Your poem shows so much true feeling put into it, it tells a fantastic story and can give a perfect image. This poem touches the heart in so many different ways, It shows hurt, love, pain, fear. It shows the many struggles of someone that is gay, going through this is very difficult indeed, not being able to tell people how you truly feel or who you actually are can REALLY bring a person down and this poem showed all of these struggles absolutely perfectly.

Well Done! Keep Writing! Amazing, Amazing, Amazing! :) xx




User avatar
15 Reviews


Points: 833
Reviews: 15

Donate
Fri Apr 05, 2013 7:44 am
AUnicornNamedJay wrote a review...



Finally! Something about the internal struggles of someone being gay! I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! :D

Thanks! I mean it.

Lol. I just wanted to get that off my chest, ha, and well yeah. Your poem is beautifully crafted; it fits what some might say a demon, a demon that just festers inside the mind of someone who cannot be honest with others nor can they even be honest with themselves.

I loved reading this poem, I feel like you embodied the right emotions here and that you brought what you wanted to make your point in this story clearly and did so poetically.

Thank you, you did an amazing job from my view point and I really enjoyed reading this poem. anywhore... Keep writing, I loved it, Smile, and always be passionate.

Smile, darling, it keep the demons away. :)

Kk, BYEEEEEEEEE!

-Jay.xoxo. :)




User avatar
76 Reviews


Points: 533
Reviews: 76

Donate
Thu Apr 04, 2013 8:29 pm
Hanorah wrote a review...



This poem made me want to cry,it really toyed with my emotions,I can tell you needed to get this out someway,and I really respect you for that.You are really very talented!you should never give up,things may seem bad for a while but in the end,everything will be all right.I don't have anything bad to say about this poem and many people will admire you for writing it,keep writing.




User avatar
100 Reviews


Points: 2878
Reviews: 100

Donate
Wed Apr 03, 2013 7:59 pm
gsppcrocks10 wrote a review...



... Oh jeez... this is the first poem to actually make me want to cry. I can really tell you wrote this from the heart, and that really moved me. It's beautifully written and definitely something that people can relate to. I honestly can't find anything bad about this to point out, which is saying something since I tend to tear things to pieces.

I'm very impressed with your skill, and I'd love to see more of your work.

Keep on writing, and please don't give up. :)

~Gsp





If I'm going to burn, it might as well be bright.
— Frank Zhang