"Monsters In the Closet" a poem by Jess Coffman

So, I was thinking of things that I uniquely find beautiful in the world, and my mind rushed to this Youtube video of my friends Jesse and Sebastian. As a friend, artist, dancer and person in love, this was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IySnMIKNVtw

Jesse and I met last summer when we were both working for Tuacahn Amphitheater. We started a weekly "Sunday Night Dinner," with a few other friends, and over those home cooked meals, warm summer night walks and bottles of wine, we found out that we are quite similar people. We are similar in the way that we love our significant other, our sometimes jealous tendencies, our creative dreams, our calm, our hard-working natures and our love for food and friends.

In one of our talks, Jesse told me that he had had to keep his relationship with Sebastian a secret from some of the members of his family for years. This is before he posted his proposal video on Youtube for the world to see :) When his family came to visit for the show, he took down his vision board in his room because it would reveal that he was gay. One of his roommates put a hat on to look more like a "dude." I was in disbelief and so sad that people who I respect and care for very much, aren't allowed to share their love freely. I couldn't imagine not talking about the one that I love to my family. And not only that, I couldn't imagine having to lie everyday about who I really am to the people who are supposed to support me the most.

This poem is for Jesse, Sebastian and every other homosexual friend in my life.

Monsters In the Closet

There are many ignorant people,

In name of submitting to Grace,

That set the boundaries of another's life,

Without ever seeing his face. 

I know of grown men who go untouched,

Because they've been told they are tainted.

The woman who dreams in the breast of another,

Is a woman that's never been sainted.

So, she surrenders her body with disgust,

And he contemplates a bleeding wrist,

Surrounded by the screams of intolerant voices,

For this we raise our fists, for life saving choices.

So little children, all ears,

Monsters in you closet aren’t your fears,

Unless your preference is your Same,

Then You are the Monster locked up with Shame.