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CAN DAVID COME OUT TO PLAY?

by KIRBY

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Kirby
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KIRBY
CAN DAVID COME OUT TO PLAY?
for David Wojnarowicz

from the Anstruther Press chapbook
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE CALLED?
www.anstrutherpress.com/new-products/what-do-you-want-to-be-called-by-kirby

100% sales of this track goes to MEAL TRANS a drop-in program serving nutritious meals to lower-income, street-active, homeless and sex-working trans women, trans men, genderqueer, and questioning people at The519
www.the519.org/programs/meal-trans

lyrics

KIRBY
“CAN DAVID COME OUT TO PLAY?”
for David Wojnarowicz

Stand behind the Rimbaud mask
he once saw the world through
Who doesn’t want to be any body
even a dead boy when you’re dying?

Then I see it, a piece I’ve only Xeroxed
so much bigger than I imagined
boy big as me (“one day this kid will
get larger”) David, I came all this way

to see you sweet looking youth
with a museum badge in smart frames
Ask if he’ll take my picture, “We’re
both boys,” me in my 8 Man

Baby blue tee. He smiles, I smile,
“Of course” and it hits
me full on. David. I came
to see David. Knees buckle

tears flood walls drop to the floor
Attendant rushes kneels beside me
strokes my back “What do you need?,”
“some water” takes my arm

leads me to another room, a bench
a window, shaded leaves I sit
Hear David’s voiceover
through speakers “here,”

he holds the glass sits with me
“Thanks” “Can I get you anything else?”
such kindness this boy
“It’s okay.” “You sure? Is there someone

here with you? Can I call you a cab?”
“No really, I’ll just sit here a moment,
I’ll be fine” knowing nothing is
“I’m still on the floor if you need anything.”

My feet return, ass meets bench
In the next room an elder male couple
also survivors sit beside one another
Hold hands watch footage unreels protests

Queers fighting for our lives dykes trans
gays always fighting for another
square inch to remain here
I ghostwalk through remains

large canvases signs paper mache
black & white nudes the new
Whitney HISTORY KEEPS ME AWAKE
AT NIGHT David’s voice face eyes

credits

released June 27, 2020
Recorded by Kirby from their home. 27 June 2020.

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all rights reserved

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about

Kirby image

Kirby Toronto, Ontario

KIRBY is the author of she (KFB, 2024) LAST LICKS (Anstruther, 2024) POETRY IS QUEER (Palimpsest, 2021) What Do You Want To Be Called? (Anstruther, 2020) THIS IS WHERE I GET OFF (Permanent Sleep, 2019) & publisher at knife | fork | book

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