Secret Star

In LGBT history month I look at the relationship I could have had with a football player if only the game had been a more open minded attitude to the LGBT community in the early years of this century. As some of you may know my poem Trophy Girl told the story of the night I met a footballer and relates the story of that meeting. In this poem which I’ve titled Secret Star I relate the tale of what might have been had we lived in more liberal minded times. I hope you enjoy the read.

Secret Star

I knew he liked me
I excited him
in the way a guilty pleasure temps you to taste
I never acted in haste
though god knows
I wanted to
haunted by guilt trips
only good girls get
I crossed my legs
in as seductive a way
as I could for a woman of my age
seizing the day
and capturing the moment of the night
he knew the time was right
as he drew in closer
till finally our lips
collided
and my sexy secret star
fell from heaven
in to my waiting arms

© Gayle Smith 2020

Fae A Lassie ( A Transwoman Spakes In The Guid Scots Tounge )

On Burns Day when Scotland and the world celebrate our national bard I pay tribute to Robert Burns by writing only my second poem in Scots. I’ve titled in which I as a transwoman give advice to the average male be they Scottish or otherwise on how women should be treated. The poem has been written in a tounge in cheek style and titled Fae A Lassie (A Transwoman Spakes In A Guid Scots Tounge ).I hope you enjoy the read.

Fae A Lassie

Fae a lassie wha wis wance a laddie
here’s advice a’ll gie it gladly
when a transwoman spakes
yir best tae listen
she kens the lives o men and women

the talk am giein is tae men
they mak thur mistakes then they mak them again
mind you listening isn’y thur wey
ye wonder what oor Jean wid say

like me a’ think she’d get them telt
aboot the wey she often felt
wae words o wisdom and truths maist sage
o times when Rabbie made her rage

She tell them laddies if ye think yir a winner
then tak yir lassies oot tae dinner
and then seduce her wae yir words
but dinnae use patter like whurs the birds

compliment her oan her style
say yir dazzled by her smile
whatever ye dae let her ken
ye ne’er wull see her likes again

that be she young or a’ an age
try tae mak her centre stage
be she fair or be she fine
ye’ll taste her youth or vintage wine

ne’er abandon nor neglect her
nor tae ithers disrespect her
woo your lass wae flowers and kisses
gie her a’ a woman wishes

nichts in barns and silken sheets
could baith end up wae passions treats
though if by chance temptations patter
should tell your ego she’ll be flattered

by your advances and techniques
beware when thon imposter speaks
remember the bard wis a man o his time
and noo we walk an equal line

so in these days in which we bide
It’ll be the lassie that decides
whit we dae and when we dae it
and if we’ve something tae say we”‘ll say it

see women noo hae equal richts
fur younger quines the future’s bricht
we ken fine weel wur braw and sassy
and sometimes we might kiss a lassie

noo if we’d sooner hae quines tae loons
and like tae dance tae different tunes
just mind that choice wis made by nature
and it’ll no be changed by yir behaviour

thur no confused they ken richt weel
they’ll sup wi angels and the deil
in a’ disguises cupid kens
the ways o stags and the ways o hens

sae tak the warnings that a’ve gied
a’ spake tae ye in the guid Scots leid
tae keep it clean and keep it classy
fae the lassie wha kens the ways a’ the laddies

© Gayle Smith 2021

Seduced

As this is Burns Night and the world will be toasting the health of our national bard I thought this poem should examine the faults and flaws which made Robert Burns the man he was. I make no appologies for tackling this poem from an unashamedly female perspective nor for openly admitting why I would have fallen for his charms had I had the chance. I’ve given it the title Seduced I hope you enjoy the read

Seduced

Seduced by his roguish good looks

many women fell into his arms his ability with words

could charm anyone he liked

a pioneer for the rights of ordinary people

his flirtatious nature and womanising ways

led to condemnation from the kirk

who told those in the pews

of the dangers of the demons

drink and fornication

and warned them that hell awaited

those who indulged in intimate relations

outside the marriage bed

not that this stopped Rabbie

in his wandering

trust me ladies this guy

had a roving eye that put Casanova to shame

fron bedrooms to barns

he’d find a lass to keep him warm

in the warmest and coldest of seasons

a farmer he planted seeds all over Ayrshire and beyond

it has to be said he was fond of the lassies

and held sex education classes

in the way he thought nature intended

now some will say it was just his way

whilst others will claim it was his shame

to treat women with less respect than men

and that this was sexism which can’t be disguised

no matter how good his poems and songs may be

I would tend to agree with the latter assessment of his character

and admit that the farmer’s boy had flaws

just like the rest of us

though god knows I would have been seduced by his flattery

if he had wanted a night in the barn

© Gayle Smith 2020