Iraq: A Sonnet

By James Schwartz

SITUATION IRAQ: A SONNET
 
He cannot come out of hiding
Squardrons of homophobia await
Today saw escalation in the fighting
Squadrons of hetero hate.
He cannot come out as before to play
Parading about a Bahgdad cafe
Dancing the Iraqi night away
With boys the color of cafe au lait.
Beauty silenced with false desire
The enemies step grows bold
Wine, sodomy and gun fire
The desert night grows cold.
Marching boots, A sudden knock
A whispered prayer, A ticking clock.

James Schwartz is a poet and slam performer striving for the simplicity of Cavafy mixed with modern gay wordplay and elements; Schwartz’s poetry / slam material dialogues of GLBTQ issues and affirmations of gay (night) life and love. James Schwartz was born 2.19.78 and raised in the Old Order Amish community in SW MI. where he currently resides.
 
Schwartz is the author of several poetry chapbooks including The Scarlet Band and Other Poems (2005). Schwartz’s poetry has been published by Poetry Life and Times, The Rainbow Gazzette, the Australian poetry / art journal OutSide the Lines, The Poet's Haven, Babel: The multilingual, multicultural online journal and community of arts and ideas , The New Verse News, Patricia Jebbah Wesley's International Poetry Blog for Peace, Perry Brass.com, Queer Magazine Online.com and Love’s Chance Magazine (Summer 2010 issue).

Schwartz’s short stories / essays have been published by A Nite Out, Babel, I'm From Driftwood.com and QMO. As a slam performer Schwartz has read at The Meta Cafe, This is Fire! The Zoo Bar and the St. Joseph County MI.  Democrats’ Inauguration Day party of President Barack Obama.

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