Your Social Advocacy Is Probably Misguided

Subtle, yet HUGE, difference between illegal and not-legally-recognized.

In South Carolina, interracial marriages were illegal. Two people of different races married, they went to prison. Actually, probably just the black one.

In South Carolina, gay marriage is banned/not legally recognized. Two men or two women find a social institution to marry them, fine. They're married in their eyes and that institution's eyes. They do not get arrested and imprisoned for holding themselves out as married.

What they don't get is tax breaks for being married or access to family court in the event of disollution/divorce. South Carolina does not interfere/nullify with private contracts entered into by same sex partners.

In SC (and federally), people are raising hell, not about marriage or the right to marry, but fundamentally economic/tax/too-lazy-to-write-a-proper-will issues. If you want to put = signs up in solidarity of that or scream bloody murder about God's wrath on the gays, great, just know what the heck you're advocating for or against.

Your gay son/daughter/uncle/aunt/sister/brother/friend/self can go get married right now if someone will officiate the ceremony.

If you're in another jurisdiction and gay marriage is illegal, they by all means continue railing for/against what you've been *thinking* you're railing for/against.

(As it is always possible I have details incorrect, inadvertently, please comment and if valid, I will update)

Asking for Rejection

To Whom It May Concern,

I mailed in a fiction submission in December (~Dec 7, 2022) titled "Homecoming." As per the instructions on your webpage, I'm now contacting after 3 months to ascertain its status.

While I can only assume The Paris Review hasn't contacted me yet because you're still fundraising in order to give me All The Money and erect a Colossus in honor of my literary majesty, I am emailing on the miniscule, unfathomable happenstance that an un-agented amateur may somehow not have been up to snuff for such a prestigious publication (Infandum!).

If that were the case, a form rejection will provide a modicum of closure, though, of course, any notes or feedback would be appreciated to a degree far beyond rational measure.

May your day be lovely.

Inquisitively,

Captain Ajax Carpenter, Esquire
Charleston, SC

My/Your/Their Happiness

I've wind in my sails
the lapping of waves in my ears
sunshine on my face and chest
the emanating warmth of liquor 
spreading forth gutward out
Alone here in my tiny boat
Content
At peace

And you in your hulking marvel
standing on the topmost deck
arm around your loved one
amongst the teeming giddy crowd
you look out at the world beyond
and know the moment is for you

Behind your miracle of engineering
a flock of seagulls dip and dart and dive and soar
a veritable cloud so thick are they in their bedlam
praising whatever deity they can possibly conceive
for the feast that's been presented to them
though if they had sense they'd worship
your ship's turbine-powered props
dicing up fleets of fish sucked in 
their mechanical maws

Happiness abounds distinctly.

A Lion or a Rat

While walking in the wilderness,
I see you and acknowledge you.
Here, we are rare, wondrous beings.
I grant you respect and wide berth
As you follow suit towards me.
When I see you, I see myself:
Recognition of existence.
To survive out here, one must strive,
Overcome beasts and chance. Contend!
That we have met eyes proves our worth.
To move along or interact
Shall be each of our decision
And either way has its merits.
Choice ever trumps obligation.

In the city, I don't see you.
A blur of featureless faces,
Mere masks, I make no eye contact.
Head down, I jostle for my space.
I am aggrieved when I must speak,
For that must mean I can't bypass;
There is no way to get around,
And now amongst the teeming throng,
I am diminished by talking,
Which only proves my impotence.
I neither know you nor want to.
You have no value in my eyes,
Which I determine only if
There's something you can do for me.
Worth here is not tied to being,
But by how many owe you what.