Eric, Rumi, Ken, and the Guesthouse

Eric Sawyer acting up against Kavanaugh appointment,October 2018, after decades of street actions.  

Eric and this writer above, in South Africa 2000 below, a stalwart of human rights activism for decades.  

Eric invited  us to Julius,

where Randy had the sip in all  those years ago.

and we talked, 

as we always do.

Jason had just left,

but other friends were  arriving at the  tavern in the  West Village.

He’s been here 65 years.

Last time we saw each other was

on the bus after jail.

Still repulsed by Kavanaugh.

On the way there, 

We talked about,

Your journey from Boulder to New York,

corporate clone to faerie.

NYC 1980 into the whirlwind,

HIV took friend after  friend.

GMHC and ACT UP

and  Larry and Charles

and so on.

Friends,

In the dark, 

Looking at graves,

eluding the Sword of Damocles.

Remembering their  bodies,

Long after they are gone.

“Watching gay movies is a reoccurring theme for me,” he confessed.

“late at night when I’m alone. I’m always looking for a gay movie that has a happy ending, where the boy gets the boy and the true love of soulmates wins. ...

Looking for an alternative to my reality of my soulmate dying of AIDS at 30 leaving me a forever the grieving widow at 32.”

ACTing Up, praying for the dead,

fighting for the living.

So many cd’s and memories

Sex magic

Bodies

Friends.

Recalling Spencer

and Keith

and Stephen,

and  Bob Rafsky.

Stigma and criminalization,

the war on sex.

Ken and John greet us,

sitting down

talking drag marches

faeries

sex

Finding ourselves

Reclaiming pride

Trump on TV at Julius.

“…yet another empty promise,”

Eric replies.
Living with HIV all these  years,

all these fucking years.

Stigma and separation.

Spirituality and connection.

John is dancing and singing Joni Mitchell.

Ken orders  his outfit for drag.

Munching on fries,

Mushrooms are better,

Laughing about being guys

John moved here years ago.

Eric is applying for Medicare.

Chuckling at himself and  us,

Drinking Jameson’s as we’ve done many times,

sharing a memory

Keith Cylar keep up  the  struggle

Housing works, shelter kills.

Healthgap

Pills into bodies,

ACT UP founders acts up for Africa.

My first demos here with you,

“First a name then  a tatoo,

how would you feel if it happened to  you!”

we screamed,

Two decades ago.

Cracking a joke about AIDS bureaucrat at Madison Square Park.

Who is that guy?

Thanks for bringing us together.

Relieved you’re still here,

lucky enough to grow old.

Glad we get to be guests here together.

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

— Jellaludin Rumi,

A cocktail with friends.