Weddings – Skirtingroundmylife

From This Day Forward (For Amy Fraser)

Last week one of my favourite ever brides celebrated her first wedding anniversary. Tonight I share the poem I wrote for her big day. It’s dedicated to Amy Fraser and it’s titled From This Day Forward I hope you enjoy the read.

From This Day Forward.

Dreaming since girlhood
planning this day
since before I reached my teens
in the days when crushes came and went
and were symbolised by changes
of posters on my bedroom wall
high school dances
with the boy most likely to claim my heart
faded in to the past like hearts drawn in jotters
or initials carved in desks or maybe on trees
life teaches us lessons to lead us
where it must
and it led me to you
my amazing man who makes dreams come true
just by being yourself
you know me in ways biblical and spiritual
you have learned how to cope with my worst and my best
that’s why I love you and why I said yes
to spending the rest of my life as your wife
It’s why I stand here as your bride
It’s why I smile a secret smile
knowing that all my dreams have come true
and the plans I made for the greatest day of my life
have finally been fulfilled.
as we journey to the future together
from this day forward

Songs Of Difference

I wrote this poem after attending the Bogha Frois LGBT Voices In Folk Event at Celtic Connections. I did so as my thank you to all the performers who gave their time to entertain us and make us proud of who we are and who we were born to be. It was Pedro Cameron who first came up with the of the Bohga Frois for the 2019 Celtic Connections and such was the success of the event it was brought back for a second outing which in my oopinion was every bit as enjoyable as the first one. Hopefully this will now become an annual event in the Celtic Connections calender and give the LGBT voices and our ailies in the traditional music community a platform for our talents god knows their are many of them and they all deserve to be heard. After talking to two of my most valued friends Ailie Wallace, and Hannah Cooper, I have given it the title Songs Of Difference. I hope you enjoy the read.

Songs Of Difference

Sheltered under a rainbow of diversity

we found a community of hope

for those of us so long considered outcasts

now our voices sing with power and pride

no longer locked behind gray closet doors

or restricted by walls of fear and ignorance

we embrace our so called difference

focusing instead on the similarities

we share with others

on the journey to discovering our gender identities or sexualities

we are multi facated

no body parts can define us

we are more than a penis or vagina

we are more than who we kiss at nights

or whose hand we’ll hold as we walk down the street

we will not retreat nor walk back to the past

to suit the needs of those who can’t cope with the fact we exist

we can’t be wished away

despite what the press and media claim

we will not be blamed

for the imagined shame of others

we will be ourselves and hope you’ll respect

our right to love who we love

with no conditions attached.

Distractions

In this poem I relate a very personal experience which is the common lot of transwomen. Believe me I’ve lived the story

I’m narrating here far too many times for my liking and am very grateful for all the women who have whether they know it or not acted as my minder. I’ve given it the title Distractions I hope you enjoy the read.

Distractions

It’s midnight she stands at the stop

waiting for the late bus

she makes no fuss

praying it will turn up soon

she is joined by a group of girls

who must have been on a round the world alcohol trip

as they hold on to each other for fear of death

or worse falling over in six inch heels

she would never have the confidence to walk in

she makes no comment but wonders

how any girl could dance in those shoes

she keeps her views to herself

they are doing no harm

if anything she’s glad they are there

it they who are getting the stares

from certain types of lads

the type who would glare at her

fuelled by testosterone fuelled courage

mammy’s boys on the hunt for mother figures

the girls snigger at these guys

who think there ideal candidates to marry

or even just to take a lassie home for a shagging

neanderthals who would normally call her tranny

ignore her to look at what they see as the younger prizes

as she looks to the sky

she thanks god for such welcome distractions

and the powers of silence and smiles

Promises And Kisses

As this is LGBT history month I thought I would write this poem on how coming out to the family can be very challenging especially if you don’t see a lot of them. This could be even more problematic if you decide to invite them to your wedding to the same sex partner they didn’t know you had. Far fetched as this may be it is by no means impossible so I decided to stretch my creativity to imagine a lesbian wedding in exactly such circumstances it is loosely based on a story I heard Kim Carnie share at The Broga Frois but using poetic licence I’ve changed it from an engagement to a Wedding. I’ve titled it Promises And Kisses I hope you enjoy the read.

Promises And Kisses

Nervously she paints her nails

the deepest shade of red

with the nail polish

only worn on special occasions

to match the lipstick saved for those nights

she needs to feel good about herself

like the works night out

or visits to the family

where her sexuality

would be talk of the scheme

if she ever came out

she is content for now

to let them live in their fantasy world

where pretty girls can’t be gay

she wonders what they’ll say

when she gives them invitations

asking for the pleasure of their company

at the wedding of Heather and Julie

she has no doubt some will be shocked

though she hopes others will be secretly pleased

to accept it in the way it was meant

and be there when she and her bride

celebrate the happiest day of their lives

like any other couple

sealing their love with promises and kisses.