By Cody S Decker
a guy like me
from a tiny rural town
in the southernmost depths
of Kentucky
a guy like me
who was raised
to enjoy the simple life
in a world
that seemed untouched
by the news outside
the county line
though not unnoticed
a guy like me
who speaks with
a slight draw
and still says
ma’am
a guy like me
who watched
The Dukes of Hazzard
as a kid
and enjoyed it
a guy like me
who has a gun
in every room
of my house
and knows how
to use them
a guy like me
who despises
the news and
shies away
from opinions
on social issues
a guy like me
who only had two
maybe three
gay people
in my graduating class
only a handful
of anyone other
than white
a guy like me
who was in complete
culture shock
when I moved away
from my small
rural town and wanted
to move back
at first
you’d think
a guy like me
would be against
a man marrying
a man
or a woman marrying
a woman
you’d probably bet
that I wasn’t happy today
for all of the people
who’ve been waiting
for nothing more
than to marry the person
they love
I bet you’d say
I was crazy
if a guy like me
said that a lot of the people
who can now legally love another
deserved it far before
most of the ones
who’ve taken it for granted
before them
years upon years
upon years
ringing wedding bells one day
and waving divorce papers the next
you may wonder why
a guy like me
a stereotypical
gun lovin’
beer drinkin’
good ole southern boy
isn’t fearin’ for his life
because the gays
have rights
well…
for a guy like me
it’s not where you’re from
it’s not from some book
with texts twisted in favor
it’s not what you hear
spewing from right and left
that makes a man accept
what he may not embrace
it’s as simple as understanding
that no two people
are the same
and we’re really not
all that different
On a Roll
Today could be my last
Today could be your last
Who knows?
Not me.
Not you.
I’d like to say
I live each day
With that in mind
But I don’t
I’d like to say
I notice the small things
More so
Than wishing for more
But that’s rare
I’d like to change
I need to change
I realize
It’s going to take time
To get better
It’ll take more than wishing
And hoping
I’ve gotta start at the bottom
And work my way up
Gotta start in the back
And work towards the front
With that in mind
I’ve realized this morning
After numerous wishes
And endless hoping
That life’s too short
For cheap toilet paper
But the Night
There’s something about the night
the wind blows smoother
the air smells softer
everything and everyone seems
to move slower
the soft glow
of a front porch light
knows what it needs to show
just enough light
so they know I’m here
just enough dark
past the light’s furthest reach
to keep them away
the moths
the spiders
the crickets
come to life
and the aloneness
doesn’t press as hard
when I’m out there
with nothing to do
but think
or drink
usually both
it eases my bones
and calms my mind
to know
there’s nothing between
me and my thoughts