he’d trekked towards the drone dead grasses iridesced
with cricket songs parted in the field where he lay
with his back to the dry ground beneath stars he awoke
to all of the reasons he loathed himself aligned in an influx
like lightning
is not a line but a suture
inside the dome skull of sky
broken open but snaps back shut
the instant it’s perceived
he bolted upright knowing
all in a moment why gays threaten men
egos without children
family names that end
for being oblivion
even alien
suddenly the crickets ceased
the ground quivered grasses broke
behind him another breathed
his hair jolted his pores gasped for air
tapered his heart beat his head
he turned to see a daunting silhouette blocking stars two horns
as long as the horizon the beast’s mass dense as adamantine stone
Wisdom told him breathe--
in the fear is focus
he did not move neither did the bull
his face turned inward in degrees
until fully forward unwavering in skin he fit
in his abode
he abode the presence of the bull
in night and time’s release
Author Bio:
Elder Gideon is the author of “Aegis of Waves” (Atmosphere, 2021) and co-author with Tau Malachi of “Gnosis of Guadalupe (EPS Press, 2017). He’s an alumnus of the 2021 Community of Writers, directed by Brenda Hillman and showing sculpture this fall with Verge Gallery’s Open Studio Tour in Sacramento. A veteran English teacher-activist and leader of a gnostic tradition, Gideon lives from metaphysical urgency. He is queer.
with cricket songs parted in the field where he lay
with his back to the dry ground beneath stars he awoke
to all of the reasons he loathed himself aligned in an influx
like lightning
is not a line but a suture
inside the dome skull of sky
broken open but snaps back shut
the instant it’s perceived
he bolted upright knowing
all in a moment why gays threaten men
egos without children
family names that end
for being oblivion
even alien
suddenly the crickets ceased
the ground quivered grasses broke
behind him another breathed
his hair jolted his pores gasped for air
tapered his heart beat his head
he turned to see a daunting silhouette blocking stars two horns
as long as the horizon the beast’s mass dense as adamantine stone
Wisdom told him breathe--
in the fear is focus
he did not move neither did the bull
his face turned inward in degrees
until fully forward unwavering in skin he fit
in his abode
he abode the presence of the bull
in night and time’s release
Author Bio:
Elder Gideon is the author of “Aegis of Waves” (Atmosphere, 2021) and co-author with Tau Malachi of “Gnosis of Guadalupe (EPS Press, 2017). He’s an alumnus of the 2021 Community of Writers, directed by Brenda Hillman and showing sculpture this fall with Verge Gallery’s Open Studio Tour in Sacramento. A veteran English teacher-activist and leader of a gnostic tradition, Gideon lives from metaphysical urgency. He is queer.
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