William Berger
Nestor Oldpunk’s Queer Power speech
From Canto XVII of The Metaliad
[Rohan, IT guy by day, Death Metal frontman by night, has been chosen by otherworldly, non-binary Angelic to form an alliance among New York’s arts community against the neo-fascists and white supremacists. In the middle of his epic adventures, he meets Nestor Oldpunk, who imparts his experience as a queer activist to teach convince Rohan that now is the time for young people to act up, fight back.]
1
When last we left our hero, he was using
An upscale café on dear old St. Mark’s Place
As pit stop, events of the past night musing,
Quaffing coffee, crapping, and washing his face,
While thoughts of his night with the dead diffusing.
At sidewalk table sat he, with a nutcase
Older man nearby, but of noble bearing,
Who, he realized, back at him had been staring.
2
“Once again,” thought Rohan, “I attract the champs!
Lucky, handsome, exotic me!” he chuckled.
Then aloud, “May I help you with something, Gramps?”
The man spit. “Start with ‘respect’, Straightboy cuckold.
First, I wouldn’t hit on you, and I’ve got titclamps
Older than you – and hotter, too. Damn you scamps!
I’ve got things to tell you, Rohan, and truly
If you’re smart, you’ll shut up and listen to me.”
3
Rohan asked “Why’s my name known by every kook
In town?” The guy said “Aren’t you the lead singer
Of a Metal band? You think fame is a fluke?
And each of your fans may be a humdinger,
But that doesn’t give you the right to rebuke.
Pass me the sugar, I’ll tell you a zinger:
Of all the professions in this commonwealth,
The arts aren’t a big hotbed of mental health.”
4
“I can see to a conversation we’re doomed,”
Rohan laughed. “So tell me, O wise troll, who you
Be, what you know, and by what craving consumed
To engage me thus?” The man set up anew.
“My name is Nestor. For forty years I’m plumed
With this Mohawk, so they call me Oldpunk too.
I’ve seen so damned many friends and things scattered
That when I’m called old, I’m actually flattered.
5
For I’ve survived it all, you see: disco, AIDS,
Reagan and Ratzinger, Grunge, raves, so much more.
I’ve lived all ‘round: Rome in days of Red Brigades,
Old London in punk’s first glory days before
It went mainstream, LA, SF, through decades
Of struggle ‘gainst the multi-named right-wing corps.
There were surf punks, and skins, and National Front,
Different names, but the same Hydra to confront.
6
I’m not an avatar. I just have a knack
For being where things are rough and combatic.
It has always been like that.” Rohan sat back,
Eating a scone. “Maybe you’re just dramatic.”
Nestor snapped, “when did that become an attack?
Dramatic is the same as democratic.
Theater and democracy, created
By the Greek genius, and not unrelated.”
7
“OK good point,” said Rohan, “But why make it
With such vehemence?” “It’s intersectional!”
Said Nestor. “Take a point and learn to break it
Down into its parts omnidirectional.
The same voices that’ll tell you to fake it,
Stuff your feelings, are the insurrectional
Voices of coups d’état, right-wingers violent,
Who want their gays and freaks and dark men silent.
8
Yeah, I’m queer, duh, but all Metalheads are too,
Subversives, too, and all those who deviate
From right-wing ideals. Which brings me to Part Two
Of my memoir, which I should abbreviate:
This is home, wherever I did depart to,
And ACT UP formed right here, to alleviate
Both the plagues we saw: the biological
And, with it, the horrid plague political.
9
And I learned this, which now you too need to know:
Times come when you need to act up and fight back.
You have to draw lines and say ‘this cannot go
On. It’s not ok.’ When you’re under attack,
When rape is institutionalized, when so
Many trans people are killed, and any black
Man can be shot on sight, it’s just not all right.
Rohan, now’s the time to take a stand and fight.”
10
Our hero then gulped, staring down at his shoes.
“I actually threw a real punch last night,
Though my foe did overreact to his bruise.
Still, it was a first for me, to choose to fight.”
Nestor said “The change was in what you did choose,
Not the punch itself. Becoming a true knight
Involves more than performing deeds amorous –
And most of it is far less than glamourous.
11
It’s building alliances. Metalheads suck
At that. And boring stuff like town hall meetings.
And commanding the media. Call a schmuck
A schmuck, like we did with Helms and the greetings
We sent to Cardinal O’Connor. You can’t duck
From talking to your opponents, proceedings
Like panel discussions. You are now thirty.
You’re too old not to get your cool hands dirty.
12
You can no longer dismiss all you don’t like:
‘All politicians are the same’ ‘s a saying
For them to keep you apathetic, sheeplike.
‘All cops are bastards’ is just the same, playing
Their game of reduction. Go ahead and strike
First with your citizens’ demands outlaying.
Those who think to abolish the cops are bores.
Cops just follow orders. Make them follow yours.
13
‘Big Pharma’s just in it for all the money!’
No shit. Does that mean you can’t make them your tool?
Let me wrap it all up for you now, honey.
You can’t just flex anymore about how cool
You are. It’s time to participate, Sonny.
What are you for? In what lotus is your jewel?
I know what you’re against, but what are you for?
Show me that, and you take a stand evermore.”
William Berger, resident of the Village for 41 years, is an author, poet, lecturer, spoken word performer, and the radio commentator for the Metropolitan Opera.