Carla Sofia Ferreira

In This Poem, Bert & Ernie Are Gay

—for my students

In this poem, Bert & Ernie are gay.
They are not happy in the old-fashioned sense;

and they are not Bert and Ernie: they are Bernie,
if you’re still searching for their ship name.

In this poem, Bert & Ernie make out on fire
escapes in the city’s summer heat, and they

go to pride parades, though Ernie has to drag
Bert there, with promises of porridge to follow.

In this poem, Bert & Ernie get married, and Bert
is actually the one who proposes, with paperclips.

Everyone on Sesame Street is invited and they
throw a block party so loud that the cops are called,

but in this poem, no one is arrested. Bert & Ernie share 
an apartment, a walk-in closet, and a bed. They are best friends

with benefits: sex, healthcare, and marriage. They share stories
of people who used to whisper and how they had to play pretend.

In this poem, they are not imaginary. I would know since I made it.
They exist happily, cooing to pigeons in the park and at night, rubber

duckies glow in the dark of their warm and cozy room. In this poem,
Bert & Ernie are gay and beautiful and ordinary and they are on your TV.