By Tyler Lascola
Take up the Straight Man’s burden–
Put down the rebel breed–
Go bid your sons to exile
Their hearts’ impious need;
Teach your children to repress
The fluttered folk and wild,
The liberal-minded lovers
Ye formerly reviled.
Take up the Straight Man’s burden–
Despite the turning tide,
To join in common error
And check the show of Pride;
By potent speech most rightful
Our protests they restrain,
But ye can keep them silent
With constant threat of pain.
Take up the Straight Man’s burden–
The world will not know peace
Lest ye purge the populace
And bid the sickness cease;
And when your goal is nearest,
The end to others sought,
Watch untold sympathizers
Bring all your hopes to naught.
Take up the Straight Man’s burden–
Protest same-sex weddings.
(Though Pope Francis seems to be
Benignant toward such things.)
The politicians banter,
Just waiting to be led,
Go coax them with your livings,
And choke the right to wed.
Take up the Straight Man’s burden–
And reap this cold regard:
The shame of those ye better,
The hate of those ye barred,
The cry of hosts ye hasten
(Ah, quickly!) toward the night:
“Why sought he to extinguish
Our iridescent light?”
Take up the Straight Man’s burden–
Ye dare not stoop to less,
Nor stomp too hard on Freedom–
Tarnish her golden dress;
By all ye cry or whisper,
By all the fuss ye stew,
The liberal-minded lovers
Still of your Gods eschew.
Take up the Straight Man’s burden–
Impose old childish ways,
Medieval social standards,
On Lesbians and Gays.
Come now, besmirch your manhood
With Manhood’s basest fears,
Behold the tear-fraught schism:
Prejudgment of the Queers!
