A blog about LGBTQ+ History, Art, Literature, Politics, Culture, and Whatever Else Comes to Mind. The Closet Professor is a fun (sometimes tongue-in-cheek, sometimes very serious) approach to LGBTQ+ Culture.
Pages
Saturday, February 29, 2020
Friday, February 28, 2020
Shave
Thursday, February 27, 2020
Why Not Bernie
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Pete 2020
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
On the Mississippi
Monday, February 24, 2020
Sunday Was Not a Funday
Sunday, February 23, 2020
What a Friend We Have in Jesus
What a Friend we have in Jesus
1
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
2
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
3
Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.
"What a Friend We Have in Jesus" is a Christian hymn originally written by preacher Joseph M. Scriven as a poem in 1855 to comfort his mother, who was living in Ireland while he was in Canada. Scriven originally published the poem anonymously, and only received full credit for it in the 1880s. The tune to the hymn was composed by Charles Crozat Converse in 1868. William Bolcom composed a setting of the hymn.
The hymn also has many versions with different lyrics in multiple languages. The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal notes, "In spite of the fact that this hymn, with its tune, has been criticized as being too much on the order of the sentimental gospel type, its popularity remains strong, and the hymn retains a place in modern hymnals." In some settings, the lyrics have been matched to other tunes such as the Welsh "Calon Lân" (originally wedded to the Welsh poem translated as "A Pure Heart").
Saturday, February 22, 2020
Friday, February 21, 2020
Better
Thursday, February 20, 2020
Sick Day
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
A Bit of Pain
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
[To find a kiss of yours]
[To find a kiss of yours]
by Federico García Lorca - 1898-1936
translated by Sarah Arvio
To find a kiss of yours
what would I give
A kiss that strayed from your lips
dead to love
My lips taste
the dirt of shadows
To gaze at your dark eyes
what would I give
Dawns of rainbow garnet
fanning open before God—
The stars blinded them
one morning in May
And to kiss your pure thighs
what would I give
Raw rose crystal
sediment of the sun
*
[Por encontrar un beso tuyo]
Por encontrar un beso tuyo,
¿qué daría yo?
¡Un beso errante de tu boca
muerta para el amor!
(Tierra de sombra
come mi boca.)
Por contemplar tus ojos negros,
¿qué daría yo?
¡Auroras de carbunclos irisados
abiertas frente a Dios!
(Las estrellas los cegaron
una mañana de mayo.)
Y por besar tus muslos castos,
¿qué daría yo?
(Cristal de rosa primitiva,
sedimento de sol.)
About This Poem
“‘[To find a kiss of yours]’ is an untitled poem from an undated manuscript by Federico García Lorca. Though the style matches that of the young poet, what is unusual for that time is the erotic frankness—embedded in strange and striking imagery—that is a feature of Lorca’s late great work.”
—Sarah Arvio
Monday, February 17, 2020
Winter Is a Drag Ball XXV
Sunday, February 16, 2020
Those Who Argue
How do you treat God when things in your life don't go according to your plan? Do you argue with Him using logic, blame, or coercion? Maybe you thought you would have had kids at your age, or perhaps a loved one was supposed to be on the earth longer. Your Creator is all powerful and all knowing. Is your faith strong enough to trust in His power and His divinity?
Saturday, February 15, 2020
Moment of Zen: Drag
I know with the title of this MOZ, this is not the picture you expected. However, this is my outfit for Winter is a Drag Ball, which is tonight. My outfit though will have a black shirt and a sequined jacket. The theme tonight is “Be Who You Be.” I wanted to share something from an article in The Bridge, a Montpelier, VT based newspaper:
“I think that in this day and age people need encouragement to express themselves,” reflected Bob Bolyard, who performs as drag queen Amber LeMay. “One thing people always say to me is, ‘I don’t want to dress up as an opposite gender. I don’t want to be in drag.’ And I say, ‘Everyone is in drag every day. Whatever you wear to work could be considered drag, because you’re representing something you aren’t. Everyone has that one piece of clothing in their closet that they want to wear but never get an opportunity to wear it. The Drag Ball is the opportunity to wear it.”
On February 15, the House of LeMay and the Vermont People with AIDS Coalition will host the “Winter is a Drag Ball Silver Jubilee.” The event, celebrating its 25th year, opens at 7:30 pm at Higher Ground in South Burlington. The seated show begins at 8 pm with a performance by Rev. Yolanda, one of the original organizers of the Drag Ball, which has raised more than a quarter-million dollars for the Vermont People with AIDS Coalition.
Friday, February 14, 2020
Happy Valentine’s Day
Thursday, February 13, 2020
Opening
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
Ugh!
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
The Poet
The Poet
by Raymond Garfield Dandridge
The poet sits and dreams and dreams;
He scans his verse; he probes his themes.
Then turns to stretch or stir about,
Lest, like his thoughts, his strength give out.
Then off to bed, for he must rise
And cord some wood, or tamp some ties,
Or break a field of fertile soil,
Or do some other manual toil.
He dare not live by wage of pen,
Most poorly paid of poor paid men,
With shoes o’er-run, and threadbare clothes,—
And editors among the foes
Who mock his song, deny him bread,
Then sing his praise when he is dead.
Monday, February 10, 2020
Sunday, February 9, 2020
Too Great for Words
Is a loved one walking through a difficult time? We try so hard to say the right thing to comfort. We desperately want to say words that will take all of the pain away. Sometimes, our words aren't enough and, perhaps, our words rub the wrong way. Mostly, the greatest comfort you can give is like that of Job's three friends. No one said a word but they sat with him. Is there a friend in your life who could use your presence today?