Treedom

by David Emerson SmithPublished: 1986Updated:

TREEDOM/

A Boy robbed of childhood
by the white racist cotton hoods of adults
the ones they shroud their senseless bodies with
the ones they hide their grey swollen faces in

A Boy dresses up in lace highheels
The ripe red lipstick of bursting pricks
the one he plays with through his pocket
the one he opens up his fly to find
hidden there/ in his underwear

TREEDOM/ one short step from freedom
A Boy comes of age in rural shabbiness
the pink rose of youth blossoms/ Dogwood
the tree he climbs in search of privacy
branches to hide in
to spy the addled ones
the tree he climbs to steal love
from his slender sapling torso
the oak he grows into
in order to escape the world/
His pappy sneers and says,
"Boy you'll never leave this holler"
But he still goes to Nashville
aching for lavender liberation
the violet freedom of a changing child
there he grows robust in his new awareness
and shares it hesitantly with strangers/
he gives in to his urgent need
and colors it with cum
saliva/ ocean foam
and clouds

~ David Emerson Smith from NAMBLA JOURNAL SEVEN (1986).