By Sandra Renew

1933

lifelong partners

charismatic lives           no mention

of the other in orbituary

Stella was a star but where is she in Clare’s biography

1976

gloss over the pronouns at family lunch

counteract with extremes of hair management –

hair cut? short? you mean like a boy?

in your face, off your face, face off

ragged razor cut, not out of place

1990

she only hooks up with

gender neutral names

no need to explain

a Jordan, Sage or Taylor

Avery, Shay, Dakota

2000

we say it’s there

the legals erase it

together in fact

but not in church or court

or even closet

2017

marriage with wedding

a girl thing with two girls

the relationship is out there

we all see it

not it’s strange if we don’t do it