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Hot July stokes the inner flame with a planetary pride march into Cancer and Leo.
Lovely Venus and zesty Mars enter romantic Cancer and the expansive Sun and cerebral
Mercury waltz into dramatic Leo. Lets go for the gusto, friends. The time is ripe for romance and

I suspect most of us are_ up to the task.

ARES

(MARCH 21 ~APBI. 20)
Gay Rams are advised to center their activities close
to home since their sense of well being centers there
this July. Family issues and unresolved matters
involving The dominant parent in your life may take a
turn for The better. This is good as long as you don't
compromise to please others. Be your proud self and
stop schlepping all that cockamamie ancestral
baggage around. '

TAURUS
TAPBI. 2t - MAY 21)

Venus and Mars set your sights on a particularly
delightful goal This July and once stubborn gay Bulls
get somethinginta Their craw; They cannot be
dissuaded. Opportunities abound in social situations
so get yourself properly situated with the right crowd
and wax poetic with your wry observations. Ask and
you shall receive. But first, decide what you really
want.

GEMINI
(MAY 22 - JLNE 21)

Gay Twins learn to control their finances in July when
both Venus and Mars make a green mountain out of a
pile of pennies. Hey big spender, why not let that
golden touch grab onto one of our charities or
political organizations? You have the wisdom and the
wherewithal to set some major changes into motion
now thanks to the expansive Sun and intellectual
Mercury.

CANC€Ps
(JLNE 22 ~ JULY 23)

Happy birthday proud Crab! This a month to shine as
your personal magnetism reaches a high luster level.
Thanks to feisty Mars, July offers you ample
opportunity to show the immediate world what you can
do. Venus adds a touch of pink panache so don't hide
in your shell, cousin. Friends may not understand your
wild ways right now but don’t let them cramp your
style.

_ Leo
(JULY 24 ~AUGUST 23)

Queer Lions score major karmic points by getting
involved in a major gay community effort. The more
you give, the more you get so be generous and
magnanimous. Pioneering Mars strongly suggests
that you blast your closet oh‘ its hinges and toss Out
any psychological debris that hold you back from true
affirmation. The Sun has somejuicy rewards for
especially tidy Lions.

VBGO

(AUGUST 24 ~ S€|’T€MB€F\ 23)
Queer Virgins, like most folks, thrive on strong
friendships. This July, charming Venus and active
Mars energize your social circle and pull you into its
wild epicenter. Friends reaffirm your personal pride
and give you great self confidence. Who knows what
can happen when a Virgo is so inspired? Take it to
its logical conclusion and turn a cousin into a kissing
cousin.

publication and s 3
Check out or-,' new web

LIBBA
(SEPTEMBER 24 - OCTOBER 23)
Concentrate on your career; the planetary push of
facile Venus and directioned Mars point to
professional success. Proud Libras attain palpable
gains in any career effort if they work at it. Why do l
think that your goals are more gloss than grit?
Maybe because even the most onerous tasks go
smoothly. Claw,for it while you can, bubbele. Next
month you could go hungry.

SCOBPIO

(OCT OBEB 24 ~ NOVEMBSB 22)
Personal transformation take shape this July. (Or
maybe you'rejust mellowing with age?) Travel is
likely with both Venus and Mars lighting your way.
Buy a ticket and get going, proud Scorp; It may be
the perfect opportunity for you to find your inner
voice. And who knows who may be waiting for you at
the end of the rainbow? Let's hope it's not a troll.

SAGTTAPIIUS
(NOVEMBER 23 - oecemeen 22)
Gay Archers are not usually motivated by sexual
conquest but the delightful combination of romantic
Venus and aggressive Mars pokes you in the
embers. Feast while you can lover; this planetary
push won't last forever and the wind can go out of
your soil before you know it. Meantime, strive for
inner fulfillment alone or with a friend.

OKPBICOFIN

(D€C€MB€B 23 - MNUABY 20)
July heats up partnership issues so expect to share
your hopes and dreams with a significant other. if
you are in the search made, use the lucky
combination of charming Venus and aggressive Mars
to set your course of action. Gay Goats sometimes
need a friendly push because they tend to lack self
confidence. No problem, baby; you are high on spunk
HOW.

AQUARIUS

(JANl.lAPsY 21 - F€BPs|JAPsY 19)
Aqueerians will be amazed at how a little body work
could have such dramatic effects. Both Venus and
Mars accentuate and define your best assets...OK
your body too. That is. of course, that you do The
proper exercise and diet regime to make the possible
probable. Think nude beach and tone those pecs. The
glorious Sun brings you a big surprise after the

'24th.

P|SC€S

(F 5BPsUN’1Y 20 -MARCH 20)
How much fun can a gay Fish have? it depends upon
how you use the splendid energy of creative Venus
and zesty Mars this July. Enjoy your free time while
you can. Any project that you undertake now can
become a personal masterpiece. The secret is to
apply it to your day to dayjob or long term career.
Grow a rose garden in concrete.

type

''"the

 I-vmikirnomas

a monthly look at the internet & the web

I had a problem with this month’s column. It wasn't so much that there weren’t enough web
sites devoted to poetry; there were too many! Not only were there sites for amateur poets to submit
their work, there were home pages created by the poets themselves. It was all quite overwhelm-
mg. -

However, I found some ways to help narrow my search for the best poetry sites. First, I went
to one of the search engines devoted to GLBT topics, Gayscape (http'J/ www. gayscape.com/
gayscape/welcome.html). I clicked on the “Poetry” icon and got a sizable list of both general poetry
sites and home pages. Each listing included a brief synopsis of the site that helped me decide
whether to check it
out. Like most
search engines, you A
cancrmonrheunt uJuJuJ.poetry.com
to go to the site. 2
Thanks 10 1j11111111111111111:
Gayscape, I found ’

Gay Literature (http'J/ www. gayliterature .com/), a site with links to book reviews, magazines and
e-zines, poetry, and short fiction. It is updated regularly so you don’t have to worry about dead
links.

Among the poetry links featured at the Gay Literature site was Erato’s Lyre (httpzll
www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/StonewalV2801findex.htm|), named for the muse of poetry.
According to the webmaster, Erato’s Lyre was “created as a safe haven for LesBiGay poets to
express themselves freely and without fear of prejudice or censorship.” Poets, inspired by Erato
herself, can submit their work by clicking on the “Submissions” link and filling out a form. The
poems themselves are of varying quality; some read as if Erato took the day off when the author
pressed the “Submit” button. Interestingly enough, the most successful poems are those that are
not gay specific such as “The Wall” by Greg Mackrnim who uses colors to illustrate urban decay.
Most, however, are erotic free verse and made up of tiresome clichés to describe intimate encoun-
ters. Perhaps to liven the proceedings, an ambitious poet could write a poem in iambic pentam-
eter using such euphemisms as “throbbing meat."

Another showcase for the fledgling poet is Poet's Corner (http://www.geocities.com/
WestHollywood/5032/doct .htm). Like Erato’s Lyre, by pressing the “Submit” button, you can have
your poems available for the web surfer to peruse. There are 90 poems posted so far and accord-
ing to the webmaster, nearly 289 more to put up. Whewl The part I liked about this site was that
there appeared to be equal numbers men and women represented.

On the other hand, Lesbian Poetry (http JIwww.sappho.comlpoetry/welcome.htm) obviously
is focused on poetry of a "sapphic" nature whether written by women or, interestingly enough, by
men like William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge. This is not a site for amateur poets but rather
for poets with more established reputations (i.e. dead, so don’t expect any new submissions from’
any of them). The webmaster has taken great care in researching the poets featured and has
posted the fruits of her research. This site is part of a larger page called Isle of Lesbos, which also
has a page devoted to lesbian depictions in the world of art (downloadable of course, heh, heh).

If Erato is paying you a visit and you suddenly want to dip your toes into the depths of poesy,
perhaps a stop at the Q*ink! site (http1/users.lanminds/com/~pherrin28) might help. Q*inkl is a
vinual GLBT writing community that started as an AOL chat and grew to include a web site com-
plete with a chat room. You can also subscribe to its free newsletter which lists calls for submis-
sions, announcements, and upcoming evems.

Next issue, I hope to continue on in this tour through the world of GLBT arts and literature
with a look at GLBT theater. If you have a theatrical site or know of one, let me know at
gossamer@together.net

Summer Reading and More...

continued from page twelve

Gay & Lesbian Entertainment l.0.? [Kensington Publishing] Karvoski pretty much covers it all:
queer film quotes, drama queens, film and video trivia, film kisses, and who done what with whom,
and where and when in what medium.

This is the kind of book you just have to own—not only to wow your friends with your
Hollywood knowledge, but as a great resource when pondering all of those great questions like
was so and so REALLY queer??? And who DID so and so kiss in that movie—what was the name
of it again??

And last, but certainly not least, The Oueen of Whale Cay: the eccentric story of “Joe”
Carstairs, fastest woman on water [Viking]—and in fact the most narcissistic woman perhaps
anywhere—is a truly engaging and fascinating very true story. You’ve heard it said that truth is
stranger than fiction, and "Joe" Carstairs and her story are living (well, no longer living, but you get
the point) proof.

Her antics and her tantrums are as amazing as her accomplishments-and they are many.
Summerscale has done an enormous job tracking down the details of Carstairs life and piecing it
all together. Don’t miss a chance to see the end result and to get a glimpse of this beyond eccentric
woman and her life.

And, just in case you don’t have time to read-since you’re too busy driving to and from
work and to and from that favorite vacation spot, Hall Closet Books has just the solution: and
expanded list of available audio books on tape. Now you can listen while you work or while you
work out, while you drive or while you daydream, and best of all you can listen to favorite gay and
lesbian titles orbits of gay and lesbian history.

Of particular note is the two-cassette Great Trials of Oscar Wilde, adapted for audio by
Gyles Brandreth and spectacularly performed by extremely talented and versatile Martin Jarvis.
Great Trials is a good way to get some understanding of the indecency trials of Wilde in the late
1890s. History buffs, literature aficionados, and theater-goers alike will fully appreciate all three
facets of~Grear Trials and will be equally amazed by Jarvis’ portrayal of ALL of the male partici-
pants in the trials. -

Summer is a splendid time forgetting caught up—whether its reading, listening to books on

tape, or just appreciating the latest in gay and lesbian ‘art, and these are just a few recent titles .

worthy of consideration. Happy reading.__