Larry Chang: Poems

Sacrifice

Written after the suicide of Robert McConnell
Published in Jamaica Gaily News , Number 18, 28/4/1978

In your soul wisdom you have chosen
To take your leave
Without prior notice.
Not polite
You took us by surprise
When you reached out
And I avoided, evaded, put off;
I promised to call, to visit
To come collect the book you borrowed,
But always too busy
Other things better to do.

Abandoned to your books and pills,
Incessant chatter, anecdotes
Of Cecil Beaton, Lady Sarah,
Regency pieces and Georgie* in Mayfair,
Hats and glasses and Vera scarves,
Outlandish clothes at exhibitions:
A call for love
Unheeded and unheard.

Forgive.
Your style, your wit, your eccentricity,
Bibliophilia,
Your crying need
Bequeath to us
That energy, that consummation
Self immolation
That flaming queens
Yet may blaze to glory.

*Georgina Zaidie, Lady Colin Campbell, Jamaica's first transexual