Remembering Your Golden Years: George Michael Elegy | Mati Shemoelof

Read “Remembering Your Golden Years: Elegy for George Michael,” a poem by Mati Shemoelof published in the 2017 literary fanzine Issues.

Remembering your golden years: elegy for George Michael
Mati Shemoelof

You were born, the same day your
mother’s brother committed suicide.
You wanted to know him, It took some
joy from your mother’s life
who you always seem to miss.

Your father could not believe you were
born a singer. He wanted you to study
in a private school; he did not know
your magic talent ran restlessly, inside
of your wondrous soul
A Greek-English boy with a
Mediterranean beauty
A golden angel dancing
Your golden hair spoke to men
and women.

People said that?
who said you are a puppet of the pop
industry?

They didn’t know that at the age of 14
already music sang inside your brain
Careless whispers of eternity
You fell in love in Anselmo while
performing in Brazil, in front of sixty
thousand people
and At the same speed you jumped up
to heaven, you went down the stairs,
when he died of AIDS two years after
the careless whisper of redemption.
You were silent for a few years, Until
You heard an angel coming down to
earth like a Jesus to a child
You described the wonder that thrilled
your heart
But the news about your mother was
too hard,
She was the one who made you wear
those silver threads on your white
shirt on “Top of the Pop”. The shirt
was ridiculous but the pain was even
more difficult.

The Beverly Hills police department
falsely accused you, and you had to
tell the world you are
gay
You hated interviews but you went on a
crusade to win them
You came out and gave a performance
that you hated,
You sold your secrets on TV.
Yet even gods want to sleep, and you
could not live with your
Tremendous success. What can you
do when gold stands in your room like
an elephant
How can you breath?
We were left to dance alone
without you.

Mati is a poet and writer currently residing in Berlin, Germany.

Category - Poetry Anthologies & Publications

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