Jerry Chasen's Blog

Obviously, I didn’t take this photo (I’d have been young to be doing such good self-portraits!)

I knew first how this poem would end–”I’m in no rush, none whatsoever”

An award for community service to the Miami GLBT community has been given out for years–first from the Dade Human Rights Foundation, and more recently by the Task Force. In 2007, the award was renamed in honor of a longtime community leader and contributor, Eddy McIntyre, who died way before his time. I was the honored recipient of the first renamed award.

One of the earliest pieces I still have. Written for my good friend Robert’s 40th birthday, it is matched in structure with the piece I wrote for his 50th. I had sworn I wouldn’t go to New York to celebrate, in part because of lack of funds. Glad I remembered what was important!

Robert is one of my dearest, favorite friends–in no small measure because perhaps best of my friends, he practices the art of friendship. This was written for his 50th birthday, and structurally tracks Sweet Robert, which I wrote for his 40th.