Gay

My younger brother David
Was a classical musician and
Crafted baroque period bassoons
Living his life in Amsterdam visiting
America once a decade to visit us
Sibs and remind him why he left.
On one trip back to Texas we
Went car shopping in Austin
Sitting in the salesman’s
Office talking about the
Toyota Highlander he
Suddenly interjected
That he was gay a
Fact I had been
Aware of for
Years since
His doctor
Told him
He had
Aids
Kaposi
Sarcoma
And only a
Few years to
Live but his Dutch
Doctors kept him alive
And in pretty good health
For the next near 30 years
So his volunteered revelation
While I was negotiating buying
A Toyota was a surprise to both
The salesman and myself which
Should have prepared me for the
Same volunteered information to
The grocery store clerk, the cafe
Waitress, the gas station cashier,
The day care attendant, the old
Greeter at Walmart, my friends
At breakfast, and people on
The street waiting for the
Light to change, all of
Whom reacted as
Expected in the
Republic of
Austin
With
That’s
Nice and
Would you
Like a receipt?
David said to me
He had no idea how
Liberal Austin had become
And perhaps he might one day
Move back to which I told him
Texas was not Austin which
Confirmed his happiness
With Amsterdam and
Avoided dealing
With the IRS
As David
Paid
Dutch
Taxes but
Kept his US
Citizenship plus
We had no national
Medical program
Nor likely would
Have in Texas
Until the next
Millennium
If then, so
David
Returned
Home to his
Friends and life
In Amsterdam where
I and my sibs visited him
As often as possible
When he was not
Summering in
Sicily or on a
Jaunt to
Italy or
Back
To
Vienna
For pastries
And yet another
Quartet performance
Soon to be in a popular CD,
Not exactly God’s own
Righteous fiery wrath
But as expected
In the Republic
Of Austin.