Laura's
Playground presents the Transgendered Poetry of Michael Uno
the
show is over
i
write and re-write, torn as to what to say
i need to tell you this, i need to tell you today.
you've
never known about my pain, and now comes the time
i feel before i can go forth, i need to correct a lie.
i've
left a letter telling the truth, one day for you to find
and i'll discover sooner or later, if love can really be blind.
i've
acted as the person i was expected to be
through all of these years, i've hidden the real me.
but
now it's my turn, your son - i'm who it's all about
the show is coming to an end, the role of daughter is out.
how'll
you take this when you read of my life in short?
will you shrink away in horror, or hold me in support?
can
you leave the one behind and lovingly welcome the other,
and accept that your youngest son, in reality has a brother?
no
longer can i remain silent, of hiding i am tired.
this life-long show is over, the actor is fired.
The
Naked Shame
sitting
by my side
my mother gently dots
my body with calamine
to ease the itch of
some childhood disease's rash
laying
there on my bed
naked in the dimly lit room
i became aware of my father
watching from the doorway
with concern for his child
but
his caring gaze
went unnoticed by me
blinded as i was
by the sudden realization
that i didn't look like him
i
layed there frozen
drowning in humiliation
and embarrassment
and wondered why no one
seemed concerned
couldn't
either of them see
that their little boy
was all wrong
that their son didn't
look like his father or brother?
what
was wrong with me?
what was wrong with them?
didn't they love me?
didn't they know?
didn't they care?
from
that day on
i learned to hide,
and hide from, my nakedness
not because of modesty
but because of shame
face
to face
in the recesses of my mind
who i am, i know
but people aren't kind
they treat us as foe
thought
it'd go away
thought it was a phase
said it's just a bad day
i could surely change my ways
i
tried with all my might
to always hide this guy
but he continues to fight
he's grown tired of the lie
come
the right time
let happen what may
that person inside
will find his own way
he'll
live in spite of me
he'll take his rightful place
there's nothing i can see
but to meet it face to face
Maybe
There’s Time After All
i felt my destruction nearing
i was sure of it
the
time to tell, came and went
and loosed it’s strangle-hold around my throat
i
told the woman i love
i told my mother
i told my brother
the
end did not come
i was not shunned, disowned, or turned out alone
i
did not lose the one who loves the man
i did not lose the one who’s son needs her love
i did not lose the one who’s been my closest friend
time
has slowed some
seems it’s going to give me a chance
it’s unbarred what i thought was a forbidden path
i’ve
told them, all three
come out to each
one’s
love survived
one’s love still lives
one’s love is still beside me
maybe
there’s time after all
Here
to Stay
when
innocent and just a small child
without question you knew who you were
by intolerance you were not yet defiled
and proclaimed to be son, or a daughter
then
after you passed the "cute" stage
did you learn of the rules and your role
that's when they told you, "at your age
you know not what's real in your soul"
through
the years they continued to rail
"wear that!" and "you can't play with this"
and of your real self you could not avail
you were admonished if ever remiss
their
teachings made you question yourself
you began to believe this would end
your feelings you put on some dark shelf
to the role of your birth sex you'd tend
but
the person that lived in your body
and directed your heart, soul and mind
would never really relent and agree
and was determined to not be maligned
whether
you hide or fight or deny
and despite your best efforts to obey
no matter how many tears you may cry
only the real you is here to stay
