Hayes

            In Terrance Hayes book of poetry Lighthead, he has many poems that are scatterbrained, just lines of thoughts and poems that have deep meanings. Throughout his book, he displays many themes such as language, race, anguish. But the theme I’ve noticed most often is sexuality. He has an interesting way of always finding a place to insert something about sexual intercourse in his poems. Looking at the two poems, “Lighthead’s Guide to the Galaxy” and “Whatever Happened to the Fine Young Cannibals?”, I have seen the sexual theme.

            The first poem I looked at for the theme of sexuality was “Lighthead’s Guide to the Galaxy”. This is the first poem in the book. Within the first seven lines he comes right out with his feelings on sex. “I believe everything is a metaphor for sex.” This line like sets you up for the rest of the book, if this is what he believes then you can tell he’s always going to talk about it; he found it important to deliver that line before the readers got into the book. Throughout the book, Hayes has a few poems that are titled with “Lighthead”. In his second version of “Lighthead’s Guide to the Galaxy”, “Lighthead’s Guide to Addiction”, he is talking about random addictions and then throws in the line, “I often wake up horny. If you are addicted to masturbation, seek company”. I think it’s interesting how explicit he sometimes is with words relating to sexual intercourse. The word ‘masturbation’ just doesn’t seem like a word that is normally just thrown out there in poetry, at least I’ve never noticed. It’s not really a beautiful word; it’s a word that makes some people uncomfortable. I would’ve thought he’d find a different word for it, but then again that is part of his theme of sexuality.

            The second poem I looked at for Hayes’s theme of sexuality was “Whatever Happened to the Fine Young Cannibals?”. This was a poem that was basically just a stream of random thoughts. “Even when the bed is damp, the bed sheets dizzy with lovemaking, I won’t brush my teeth”. Now there’s not a huge sense of sexuality in this poem but I chose it because I think it’s interesting how he chooses to use the word ‘lovemaking’ rather than sex (except in the first poem) or some other term. Most people, let alone men, still call it lovemaking. At first I assumed he only used ‘lovemaking’ when referring to personal experiences with his wife, but he uses it every time. He uses it in “Lighthead’s Guide to the Galaxy”, “lovemaking mimics the act of departure, moonlight drips from the leaves”.

            In both of the poems I have talked about, and many others in his book, Hayes makes sexual references.  Although he uses such blunt sexual undertones, he still differentiates between the physical need to get laid and the emotional act of lovemaking.  Hayes’ poems may at first seem unusual due to their frank sexuality, but really just explore both the emotional and physical aspects of sex. 








The Accident
I remember today like yesterday,
Pouring drinks with my friends

It was going to be a good day.

The click of pongs on plastic cups,

A blur of music and laughter surrounds the air.

The bitter taste of wine fresh on my tongue.

Then the phone rings, 

It’s my father.

As the words come out of his mouth,

My face turns pale and my heart sinks.

“Your grandpa’s been in an accident.”

I fall to the ground.