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In AMERICAN QUEERS: Poems Celebrating Mid-Century Gay Activists, Jesse Mavro Diamond imagines a metaphoric kingdom inhabited by four relatively unknown gay and lesbian royal champions. With sharp wit and whole-hearted empathy, the poet extols and elegizes Stormé Delarverie, Richard Leitsch, Pat Parker and Charley Shively. Appending the poems with well researched biographical notes on each activist, diverse readers, students and teachers will discover the work is compelling and informative. AMERICAN QUEERS “impresses with historical vision and authenticity.” (Judson Evans)

Jesse Mavro Diamond

For Dick Leitsch

Sip-In: 1966

Carpenters, bankers, bricklayers, undertakers.
Why gay bars?
Because we could only be gay
In gay bars.

The N.Y. State Liquor Authority CEO:
No discrimination in bars. Why?
Because bars had the right to refuse customers
not acting suitably. Therefore, disorderly.

Bankers, bricklayers, undertakers, carpenters.
And Dick, a former Tiffany salesman.
All risking entrapment.
Wasn’t flirtation with a cute, undercover cop
worth the risk?

At the West Village bar.
John, Richard, Craig and Randy
dropped the “H” word bomb.
We are homosexuals and we want a drink.
Craig, Randy, John and Richard,
I can’t serve you!
You’re not suitable! Therefore disorderly!

It’s true:
When a carpenter has sex with a banker
or a bricklayer has sex with an undertaker
or a John has sex with a Craig
or a Randy has sex with a Richard

Being orderly is simply not suitable

— Jesse Mavro Diamond

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