Lesbian and bisexual poetry is a genre of poetry that explores the experiences and emotions of individuals who identify as lesbian or bisexual. This type of poetry often deals with themes of love, desire, and relationships between people of the same gender.
One of the most famous examples of lesbian poetry is the work of Audre Lorde. Lorde was a self-described “black lesbian feminist mother warrior” and her poetry often dealt with themes of race, gender, and sexuality. Her poem “The Black Unicorn” explores the intersections of her identity as a black lesbian woman and the power and beauty that she finds within herself.
Another example of lesbian poetry is the work of Adrienne Rich. Rich’s poetry often dealt with themes of sexuality and gender, and her poem “Twenty-One Love Poems” is a collection of love poems written from the perspective of a lesbian woman. The poems explore themes of desire, love, and relationships between women.
An example of bisexual poetry is the work of Emily Dickinson, one of the most famous poets of all time, her poetry often includes themes of love and desire, and many of her poems are written in a tone of longing and yearning. It’s speculated that Dickinson’s desire for women, however, she never explicitly mentioned it in her poetry, but the longing and unrequited love found in her poetry is often interpreted as a representation of her attraction to women.
In more recent times, contemporary poets like Eileen Myles, and Warsan Shire, also write openly about their sexuality and their experiences as lesbian and bisexual individuals. Their poetry explores themes of love, desire, and relationships between individuals of the same gender, while also addressing the broader social and political context of being a queer person.
In conclusion, lesbian and bisexual poetry is a genre of poetry that explores the experiences and emotions of individuals who identify as lesbian or bisexual. This type of poetry often deals with themes of love, desire, and relationships between people of the same gender and is written by poets like Audre Lorde, Adrienne Rich, Emily Dickinson, Eileen Myles and Warsan Shire.
In my book ‘Tattered Dreams Scattered Like Leaves‘ I write in this genre. I was living in Ottawa, not feeling like it was home, exploring my bisexuality and struggling with borderline personality disorder.