In honour of the 100th anniversary of the birth of poet Irving Layton, (Mar 12, 2012) I have composed the following poem. In it I use some unconventional phrasing. I use the word ‘gay’ to mean ‘human.’ I hope you like it Irving, wherever you are.
Irving The Layton The Poet Was Gay
Irving the Layton the poet was gay
Some people even considered him queer
A mensch, he said what he wanted to say.
Born circumcised he didn’t need to pray
His pen and his penis caused much fear
Irving the Layton the poet was gay.
From boyhood in the hood he learned to play
His tongue his temperament both would shear
A mensch, he said what he wanted to say.
He loved the grain to roll in the hay
He loved when the right word would appear
Irving the Layton the poet was gay.
He was original not a closet cliché
He knew what loomed beneath a brassiere
A mensch, he said what he wanted to say.
There was only one law which he could obey
The voice of his heart is all he could hear
Irving the Layton the poet was gay
A mensch, he said what he wanted to say.
– — — — — — — — — — –
More about Irving Layton Centenary events can be seen at:
http://poetry-quebec.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Irving-Layton-Centenary-HUB/305476089472566
Like this:
Tags: birthday, Canada, Irving Layton, Montreal, poet, poetry, Romania
