The Poetic Expression of Gay Lexicon Conveyed through Imagery in Lines of Poems

Abstract

The focus of this study revolves around gay literature, specifically the poetics related to homosexuality. Gay literature includes literary works authored by individuals who identify as gay, as well as literary works by heterosexual writers that explore or discuss homosexual themes, and literary works that incorporate gay terminology. While there have been recent studies on gay literature and works, there has been a lack of attention given to gayspeak, which can be referred to more formally as a lavender lexicon, being incorporated into texts or selections that are thought to have literary significance. The study seeks to address how gayspeak is depicted in literature. Are there poetic elements present in texts that use gayspeak? The study seeks to determine the potential impact of homosexual poetics or gay speak on the advancement of literature and the teaching of literature, particularly about its literary qualities. The study utilized a limited selection of only two poems due to the scarcity of available poetry incorporating gay language. Every poetry in the collection is accompanied by translations in Filipino and English, which accurately convey the original phrases written in gayspeak. The poems were assessed based on their poetic substance and the extent to which the language used in the poem's lines demonstrates literary qualities, which is the study's primary objective. The analysis of these poems involved the application of established theories and research, such as Shklovsky’s concept of Defamiliarization (2004) and the Imagery and Symbolism concept by Dimalanta and Abad (2003). Gay language in poetry has literary qualities, conveying meaning through imagery. It enhances comprehension of a poet's work and creative process. Studying imagery provides insight into the poet's production and interpretation of the text, whether written in standard or specialized language.