Joining

[vaneramos]

Come, set the candles all aflame
to shine away your cryptic shame,
expose the good....

~~~~~~~~~~

I must call him Daniel L. to differentiate from Dan V. and Danny O. He is French-Canadian, erudite, humanistic, well travelled. He was the first great friend I made after coming out. We met through a phone dating service in autumn 1996 and became lovers for several weeks. On November 11 I wrote the poem "Joining" for him. It was both erotic, and a call to come out of the closet. When he did, every significant friend and co-worker, even his Catholic family, embraced his acknowledgement warmly.

Years later we discovered we had vastly different versions of how it ended. I remember him breaking off with me shortly before I met Dan, but he tells a different story. It doesn't matter. We still love each other.

In February 1997 I introduced him to Martin. They will celebrate their ninth anniversary in June.

In 1999 I wrote a choral setting for "Joining", which the Rainbow Chorus performed.

We've scarcely spoken for two years. The reasons are foggy to me, probably more so to him. This morning I emailed requesting permission to include the dedication for "Joining" in the new chapbook. He sounded more than happy to hear from me.

Comments

[token-otter.livejournal.com]

It's quiet a feeling to speak to someone from years past. I once spoke to a guy I knew in kindergarden almost twenty years after meeting him. There is always a spark. I'm sure you'll recreate your friendship.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

It would be strange to talk to people from my early life. I'm little interested in contacting friend from high school or my Christian era.

But in Daniel's case, I don't think the friendship ever disappeared. We have both changed a lot in the past several years, and our relationship probably needed to adjust, but I don't doubt things will pick up again where we left off.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

P.S. Thank you for the books and the DVD! Brenna and I will break in the new movie the weekend after this. I'm really enjoying having a DVD player at last. The Shakespeare will be fun to read, too.

*Hugs*