In & Out

Sitting in the dark

where the whole row

filled with flannel,

beards, and sass

erupted in laughter

as they watched

Kevin Kline discover

his latent homosexuality

as he danced wildly

to Gloria Gaynor's

"I Will Survive."

Sitting right in center,

quiet and insecure

for lacking facial hair

and not wearing

a lumberjack shirt

with its sleeves torn off,

I looked at the two men

sitting beside me

wearing a bear badge

and a pinned flag striped

with various hues of brown.

Pending membership approval,

I didn't have one,

as I failed at socializing

in the theater lobby

amongst the flannel-wearing hirsute.

Their masculinity belied

their flamboyant arm gestures

as they WOOF-ed at a passing

bearded casino worker.

Bidding goodbye, I never returned,

enlightened at what

machismo meant.