This poem is not only a meditation on gender performance but an ode to the intimacy of friendship across genders. The speaker longs to explore a new form of expression but agonizes over whether he is safer by hiding from judgment and possible danger or embracing being true to himself. By leaning on the guidance of his friend and engaging with the scene around him, his fears are alleviated, at least for this moment.

Ryan Varadi is a midwestern poet living in Chicago. He holds an MFA in Poetry from the UNCW and has served as editorial staff for Ecotone and Chautauqua and as an intern for RHINO Poetry. His work appears in Poetry Northwest, Frontier Poetry, and The Shore, among others.

W: ryanvaradi.com
I: @ryanvaradi