As if every sequin represents a speck of darkness

By Simon Maddrell

after Caroline Bird

One Club Fits All Dress Codes

no flip-flops allowed

except in the dark room

only masc. masks

no flip-flops allowed

no sequin masks or sequinned mascs.

only masc. masks

even in the dark room

no femmes or sequinned mascs.

or glittered balls

no make-up mirrors

no slap on the face

no glitter balls

except on the dance floor

no opening up

no made-up mirrors

except on the stage

no spreading legs

even on the dance floor

no splash on the face

no opening legs or spreading lips

except in the dark room

no slap on the face

no slip of the masc.

One Club Fits All Darkness

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Simon Maddrell is a queer Manx man, thriving with HIV and living in Brighton & Hove. He’s published in fourteen anthologies and numerous publications including AMBIT, Butcher’s Dog, Stand, The Moth, The New European, Morning Star, Perverse, Dawntreader and Long Poem Magazine. Simon’s debut, Throatbone, was published by UnCollected Press in July 2020. Queerfella jointly-won The Rialto Open Pamphlet Competition, 2020. He is one of three poets in the Nine Pens Press anthology, All About Our Mothers (Jan. 2022). Twitter: @QueerManxPoet Facebook: @SimonMaddrellPoetry Instagram: @simonmaddrell SoundCloud: @simonmaddrell