ODE TO THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD
A lament, preferrably accompanied by accordion
by Linda Eisenstein
- Nowadays there's lots of "us-'n'-them" talk
--
- men and women, gay and straight, butch and femme talk
--
- This is a humble ode
- to those of us in the Middle of the Road --
-
- The names are demeaning, or worse:
- "AC-DC", "switch hitter", "polymorphous
perverse" --
- Our doubled position
- is viewed with suspicion;
- why not praise us for being...diverse?
-
- People act like we're trying to hide,
- or somehow "letting down the side" --
- Our part of the species
- is sadly not "P.C." --
- ignored, if not outright denied!
-
- Why can't we live like Parisians?
- George Sand, Colette, Simone de Beauvoir --
- The French had it easier by far;
- as long as you were well-read,
- they didn't care who you took to bed...
-
- But here --
- non, non, non, my dear --
-
- People, please open your eyes
- to the plight of American bi's --
- Two genders are lots of fun,
- but here's an odd phenomenon --
- instead of both, we often get none!
-
- There are far too few people to meet
- on the androgynous side of the street --
- We're seen as less serious,
- being only half-queer-ious,
- like we're not sure whom we'd rather eat.
-
- Why should that seem so unnatural?
- Isn't it obvious how we feel?
- pursuing the well-balanced meal --
- It's not a casual game we play:
- some of us quite adore buffet...
-
- So darling, don't think it's a sin
- when we flirt with you over a gin --
- Dear Margarets and Morgans,
- we're more than our organs,
- and when you get under the skin,
- it's the things that make you *you* that we're interested
in!
-
-
- (c) 1992 Linda Eisenstein
- First published by Lesbian Exchange of New Drama
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