Pretty Peter (poem) by Carolyn Baxter poet on AuthorsDen

Pretty Peter
by Carolyn Baxter poet → (All Poetry by Carolyn Baxter poet)
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Poetry from a Collection 'Secrets of The Street Vapors' Storys of Young adults That Succumbed to AIDS. I Decided to Work into my 'Youth and Politics'at Vassar College'with my 'Anti Violence'Readings from my book.

Pretty Peter Pretty Puerto Rican Peter The Color of Honey From Ave D All the Rich a Gay boys admired his beauty. The Girls, boys, wasn�t anyone he couldn�t have I�d be in the Bar in the West Village ��Fenellies�� Talking to The Fine Arts Professors Hustlin The Gift to Gab He hung with the Gay boys sellin ass, He never did he Carried himself with Dignity and Class a man. He always wanted to hangout with the Rich boys in the West Village. Started clubbin, having them Pick up the check And their Feather studded Fingers Getting tighter around his Neck. Always feeling less than. A mans man but inside more feminine The drugs stepped in Dancing with Bright Limelight sweet taste of Poppers all night Heroin to sleep The rich boys had a lover they could keep Everybody happy? Tunnel kisses Parties at S.O.B�s Painted Faces Masked Lives Different day same Lies A cough Weight loss Yellow sunken eyes The Party was at its height in 1985. Hanging on for Dear life. Peter, always felt less than cause he came up in the Projects and didn�t have his G.E.D He felt ��Protected ��because they were all Gay. But Lines change quick when it comes to wealthy and Poverty The Quiet afternoon Soul was Grey with a black pressed suit in the Closet for a Future clash with Fate, Overcast secrets quiet Charade It was the end to the Eternal Party. Drag Queens ,Fag Hags , butch an Fem Hot Affections on Fire Gone from that Island of Desire. Memories of Heat summer drugs and Booze All Peter could hear was ��Of course I meant it when I said I loved you No you weren�t being used. My Doctors coming I�m being Transfused.�� Hoping Beauty ,Lust, Loyalty was Love to A rich Blond man. Always chasing, always feeling less than. That grey day Never went away, The shadows got darker, skin turned to Dusk All he could hear his ex lover say was ��Of course I love you. my Doctors coming I�m being Transfused. �Of course I love you. my Doctors coming I�m being Transfused. I waited as long as I could to tell you. The end came quick loss of Memory Dry cough It didn�t take Long, Pretty Peter was Gone. 14 years Later his ex Rich Lover Sips on Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee With his 20year old Haitian Lover strikes a pose while they Laugh as he�s being Transfused. Forgetting there ever was Peter from the Lower Eastside Projects.

Reviewed by CJ Heck

Reviewed on December 1, 2006

It's so easy to not see, to ignore this side of life. "It doesn't touch me, so it doesn't exist," seems to be the motto of most of our lives. How sad are the lives of the unfortunate Peters, et al. You've done a fine job with a very touchy subject -- I'm glad someone made Peter's life stand out and mean something, if only to warn others to be careful.
Love,
CJ