A soft romance encapsulates the celluloid 
That your relationships stand by like a used 
Leg of deer. One smoking gun is not enough 
For your tragic disposition, of course not, it’s 
Your fantasies that give you strength, an illuminating, 
Ever-growing broccoli between the legs pierce 
The tight Heavens that your bedfellows muse 
About in their deep, sinful, dreams. 

And when they dream, because they will eventually, 
Denial becomes replaced with a plaid skirt, a half-opened 
Office shirt, and thigh-highs to make all the followers 
In the world remove themselves from Their words 
And indulge in actions. Long hair can truly do that. 
Shave the beard, perhaps, and you’ve got yourself 
A fine-looking woman. There’s more to this, pray tell. 

A woman and a man are the most natural coupling 
In this emerald sphere, remember however, 
If love can be achieved via flexibility, 
So many have followed this successfully, 
Then why judge whether the bed is occupied 
By either? Love is corrupted as a well-placed 
Hired executioner to the curiously curious. 

Kiss him, and feel the Holy heat from his chest. 
Grateful, hopefully, for this newfound tenderness. 
Some may judge, some may misinterpret your scripture. 
When they do, relax, cause those can and will not harm you, 
Because, unfortunately, you will be someplace else, in words, 
And the grey area is too tremendous to reduce into a singular verse. 

Just keep holding. It’s all that can be done. Dark oppressions 
Are truly a sight to behold, right?

Daniel Appleby is an autistic, bass-playing writer and poet living in England where he is currently in the process of turning his room into a library. He has been published in Breaking the Static: A Chapter House anthology and has performed his poetry at the Faversham Literary Festival Poetry Slam Competition Feb 2024.