Christopher Street
(for Jeffery, Jimmy, and thousands more)
Remember the good old days when
the word “immune” didn’t start with “auto”?
When a wine stain was something
he hand-washed off his shirt?
When, drenched with sweat,
two men would lie in bed all day,
not because they were sick…
they were just lolling in love.
Stonewall came and Gay Pride grew
‘til the storm clouds massed and
lightning struck down too many men
in the prime of their lives.
Christopher Street no longer radiates
the joy we knew back then, nor does
the Village hold the singular charm of
young gay lovers stealing a kiss.
Who would have thought a virus could
change our world in such a visceral way,
and never return us to yesterday?
Look back, remember, smile, cry, and trudge on.
© 2011 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
For Three Word Wednesday – Drench, Immune, Radiate. Also on Poets United… Pray for a cure! Amy
Sharp Little Pencil 
Old Egg
Yesterday is such an evocative word. Whatever memory is nudged of halcyon days there is always that feeling of pain and loss. A sad poem indeed.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thank you, Rob. I took no pleasure in writing it; like writing in my own blood…
kaykuala
Beautiful flow of words, Amy! Somewhat more of the fun of gay life than the scrounge and dangers of the associated disease.
Sharp Little Pencil
Hank, trying to keep those good memories in mind helps balance the tragedy. Still losing friends. As one 25+ survivor said, “If age doesn’t get me, the meds will.” So I do remember the post-Stonewall days, even though I wasn’t there yet. Moved to NYC right before that first NY Times article – the one about this “gay virus…” Thanks so much, Amy
Jae Rose
A fitting remembrance..although I have never been to ‘Christopher Street’..Jae
Sharp Little Pencil
Jae, Christopher Street is in the heart of Greenwich Village in NYC and was the traditional start of the Gay Pride Parade. (Now called simply PRIDE, to include lesbians, bisexuals, transgender, and questioning and gender-queer people.) Christopher Street is also the street where the Stonewall Inn is located, the site of the first-ever fight by gays against police, who harassed them nightly and threw them in paddywagons simply for being in gay bars or kissing on the street.
Daydreamertoo
It’s a truly savage disease and yes, it struck down so many, many young men long before their time, too.
Deep, and sensitive.
Sharp Little Pencil
Many women since then, as well, because President Reagan denied AIDS funding (would not even say the word “AIDS”) because of his own personal shame… he was afraid rumors about his son, Ron, Jr. being gay might be true. Typical of Conservative men, who are afraid that any question of their sons’ sexuality comments on the “studliness of their seed.”
One more thing: We lost a whole generation of creative musicians, artists, dancers, teachers, and actors. And you wonder why the best Broadway can come up with is “Spiderman: The Musical.” George Gershwin is turning in his grave.
dandeliongirl01
really like the way you used the words this week. Beautiful and poignant.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks for commenting, Dandelion. It’s a difficult subject, but the 3WW words hit me in my sore spot… I’m going to see your blog now! Amy
Mike Patrick
Past casualties of Christopher Street you must mourn, but the war, while not won, is improving. The armor is improved, casualties are fewer, the battles more protracted. I believe it will be won within your lifetime—maybe due to the energy you add to the fight.
Sharp Little Pencil
I wish I could agree, Mike, but the drugs are becoming more toxic as they go along… Eventually, the pharmaceutical companies’ idea will be immunizing children rather than teaching them safer sex practices, getting tested, knowing more about a potential partner’s status (since you are sleeping with everyone they slept with). Much like the PVC vaccine, which my sister-in-law worked on (and which works on only a few strains), it’s not the way to go. There are a plethora of incurable STDs along with AIDS, yet young women don’t have the self-esteem to insist their partner “condom up.” I tell all Riley’s friends, “Don’t EVER tell your boyfriend you’re on birth control. They will think that means they don’t need a condom, and in a moment of weakness, you’ll let them get away with it.”
In the meantime, we lost Jimmy due to an AIDS drug that had dozens of men blowing up like balloons with water weight before their hearts literally exploded. As my dear friend Christopher says, “If age doesn’t get me, the drugs will.” More and more debilitating, these drugs, and in the meantime, because “we’re so close to a cure,” more and more unprotected sex. Sorry, I have too many “postive” friends, and I know more than I want to about this epidemic. Just look at the number of orphans in Africa; the Bush administration denied funding to any NGO that allowed abortion or birth control as part of their practices… Amy
RJ Clarken
Wow…this brought back a few memories. I used to hang around the Christopher Street area with my theatre friends back in the day. And I lost some good friends back then too.
Look back, remember, smile, cry, and trudge on.
Indeed.
Sharp Little Pencil
I revised that last line to include the smiles, because there were SO MANY bellylaughs we had before the storm… in the piano bars, at the Figaro… thanks, Randi. Peace, Amy
liv2write2day
This is so powerful. Soon after the start of the AIDS epidemic, I managed an AIDS unit in San Francisco…one of the first of its kind. I cannot tell you the heartbreak we saw on a day-to-day basis as so many young talented people lost their lives. There was so much fear and prejudice. I have lost close friends to this dreadful disease. Yes, we need prayer and understanding. We do not need judgment.
Sharp Little Pencil
Victoria, I remember preachers, actual “men of God,” crying from their pulpits that AIDS was God’s judgement against gay men. I used to reply, “Then lesbians are God’s chosen people, because straight women can catch it as easily as straight or gay men. Reagan really dropped the ball. I was the first female rank-and-file volunteer at Gay Men’s Health Crisis in NYS, and also I was playing piano and singing at gay bars, fundraisers, and the like. The real judgment: How did we RESPOND when our brothers were in need? Amy
Kim Nelson
Oh, so poignant, Amy. This needs a wider audience…
Sharp Little Pencil
I will probably recite it at a World AIDS Day worship service – at an open and affirming church, like ours. Some don’t want to hear about men kissing or any kind of lovemaking, but our church is pretty darned open to the whole human experience. Thanks, Kim!
Jess
A very touching piece Amy! The way you used the prompt words really supported a difficult issue. Your place references and images are great. A wonderful write.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Jess. My best hope was to put people there who had never been. And yes, it’s difficult, losing so many people. Thank you for your supportive comments, much appreciated. Peace, Amy
ms pie
yes…yes….yes….
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Pie. We can’t say it enough… Peace, Amy
Sheilagh Lee
it is sad hopefully some day they will cure it.
Sharp Little Pencil
At least now third-world countries, and the US, are out from under the Bush policy of “abstinence” and NGOs being denied federal funds if they provided abortions. God, the number of condoms we missed distributing during the Bush years, atrocious.
There may never be a cure, but we can at least get kids to safer sex practices, to realizing they DO have the self-esteem to not engage in sex if they are not ready for it, but still arm them with condoms.
I used to have a cookie jar of high-quality condoms and told my daughter’s friends to help themselves… but not without a talk about their activities and the other myriad dangers that lay out there to kill them or at least foul their wombs.
Sherry Blue Sky
Amy, Warrior Woman, you write the truth so powerfully. There is a book I know you would love. Dog Years by Mark Doty, his memoir about his final year with his dying partner, who had AIDS, and the two dogs that shared those years. BEAUTIFUL writing and, after his partner’s death, some amazing experiences. Loved every word.
Sharp Little Pencil
Sherry, I shall look for it at the public library. If not there, at the funky second-hand bookstores downtown here in Madison. Thanks so much for this, Peace, Amy
Madeleine Begun Kane
That was excellent and sadly so true. Good job describing something I’m all too familiar with.
Sharp Little Pencil
“Sadly so true” is the best summation I can think of. That you are familiar with the tragedy brings a new dimension to the reading, doesn’t it? Sorry… Amy
Kwee Lewis
Yes, I do remember those days. Seems it was a lot longer than yesterday though. Sometimes, I feel so old 🙂
Very nice poem. Thank you.
Sharp Little Pencil
Don’t we all, Kwee! Thanks so much for this. Love, Amy