{"id":22794,"date":"2026-06-10T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T20:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/?p=22794"},"modified":"2026-06-10T15:44:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T20:44:10","slug":"invisible-countries-late-nights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/invisible-countries-late-nights\/","title":{"rendered":"Invisible Countries &amp; Late Nights"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links is-content-justification-right is-layout-flex wp-container-core-social-links-is-layout-765c4724 wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-facebook  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61556140010887\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 2C6.5 2 2 6.5 2 12c0 5 3.7 9.1 8.4 9.9v-7H7.9V12h2.5V9.8c0-2.5 1.5-3.9 3.8-3.9 1.1 0 2.2.2 2.2.2v2.5h-1.3c-1.2 0-1.6.8-1.6 1.6V12h2.8l-.4 2.9h-2.3v7C18.3 21.1 22 17 22 12c0-5.5-4.5-10-10-10z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-instagram  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/boudin_mcneese\/\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12,4.622c2.403,0,2.688,0.009,3.637,0.052c0.877,0.04,1.354,0.187,1.671,0.31c0.42,0.163,0.72,0.358,1.035,0.673 c0.315,0.315,0.51,0.615,0.673,1.035c0.123,0.317,0.27,0.794,0.31,1.671c0.043,0.949,0.052,1.234,0.052,3.637 s-0.009,2.688-0.052,3.637c-0.04,0.877-0.187,1.354-0.31,1.671c-0.163,0.42-0.358,0.72-0.673,1.035 c-0.315,0.315-0.615,0.51-1.035,0.673c-0.317,0.123-0.794,0.27-1.671,0.31c-0.949,0.043-1.233,0.052-3.637,0.052 s-2.688-0.009-3.637-0.052c-0.877-0.04-1.354-0.187-1.671-0.31c-0.42-0.163-0.72-0.358-1.035-0.673 c-0.315-0.315-0.51-0.615-0.673-1.035c-0.123-0.317-0.27-0.794-0.31-1.671C4.631,14.688,4.622,14.403,4.622,12 s0.009-2.688,0.052-3.637c0.04-0.877,0.187-1.354,0.31-1.671c0.163-0.42,0.358-0.72,0.673-1.035 c0.315-0.315,0.615-0.51,1.035-0.673c0.317-0.123,0.794-0.27,1.671-0.31C9.312,4.631,9.597,4.622,12,4.622 M12,3 C9.556,3,9.249,3.01,8.289,3.054C7.331,3.098,6.677,3.25,6.105,3.472C5.513,3.702,5.011,4.01,4.511,4.511 c-0.5,0.5-0.808,1.002-1.038,1.594C3.25,6.677,3.098,7.331,3.054,8.289C3.01,9.249,3,9.556,3,12c0,2.444,0.01,2.751,0.054,3.711 c0.044,0.958,0.196,1.612,0.418,2.185c0.23,0.592,0.538,1.094,1.038,1.594c0.5,0.5,1.002,0.808,1.594,1.038 c0.572,0.222,1.227,0.375,2.185,0.418C9.249,20.99,9.556,21,12,21s2.751-0.01,3.711-0.054c0.958-0.044,1.612-0.196,2.185-0.418 c0.592-0.23,1.094-0.538,1.594-1.038c0.5-0.5,0.808-1.002,1.038-1.594c0.222-0.572,0.375-1.227,0.418-2.185 C20.99,14.751,21,14.444,21,12s-0.01-2.751-0.054-3.711c-0.044-0.958-0.196-1.612-0.418-2.185c-0.23-0.592-0.538-1.094-1.038-1.594 c-0.5-0.5-1.002-0.808-1.594-1.038c-0.572-0.222-1.227-0.375-2.185-0.418C14.751,3.01,14.444,3,12,3L12,3z M12,7.378 c-2.552,0-4.622,2.069-4.622,4.622S9.448,16.622,12,16.622s4.622-2.069,4.622-4.622S14.552,7.378,12,7.378z M12,15 c-1.657,0-3-1.343-3-3s1.343-3,3-3s3,1.343,3,3S13.657,15,12,15z M16.804,6.116c-0.596,0-1.08,0.484-1.08,1.08 s0.484,1.08,1.08,1.08c0.596,0,1.08-0.484,1.08-1.08S17.401,6.116,16.804,6.116z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Instagram<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Gage Baldwin<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:25px\"><strong>Invisible Countries<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Words don&#8217;t live long outside the body,<br>Not most of them, anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I can tell who is family&nbsp;<br>By the tension behind their teeth&nbsp;<br>The hesitance in their step&nbsp;<br>Like a sinner sneaking back&nbsp;<br>Amongst the gods. Do not believe<br>Their honeyed Words, let them hang&nbsp;<br>In the air and die. We are not welcome&nbsp;<br>In their false Elysium.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">But then what land welcomes us?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Joy and Rage are good friends of mine<br>We met in a drag bar in 2016<br>They shared with me the Words<br>To find comfort in the space<br>Where they resist definition.<br>&#8216;We&#8217;ve existed forever&#8217;, they said,&nbsp;<br>&#8216;And despite what Bonnie Tyler<br>May have led us to believe,<br>Forever started a long time ago.&#8217;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I have no right to doubt to them,&nbsp;<br>I suspect they are correct. But I ask again,&nbsp;<br>If we&#8217;ve existed forever, surely<br>Some land must welcome us<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Some land where we aren&#8217;t&nbsp;<br>Murdered in the streets<br>Beaten in the bathrooms&nbsp;<br>Left hanging in our closets<br>Beside that cute little sundress<br>That makes our mother cry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:25px\"><strong>Late Nights<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-ad2f72ca wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div style=\"height:100px;width:143px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer wp-container-content-9bf9bc78\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\"><em>For Brian<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The weight of your hand<br>simply resting on my knee was enough<br>To keep me from floating away.<br>I&#8217;ve always been fond of late night<br>Car ride rides through the city,<br>The streetlights like beacons<br>Bright enough to break the quiet.<br>You would speak<br>When I would&#8217;ve stayed silent,<br>And it made me smile.<br><br>That night, you would kiss my cheek<br>And I would kiss your neck.<br>I have a bad habit<br>Of pulling against my leash.<br>I know I&#8217;m built for speed,<br>But I crave your comfort<br>So I&#8217;ll calm my curious hands<br>And I&#8217;ll follow your lead.<br>We&#8217;ll do this right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Gage Baldwin<\/strong> (He\/They) is a gay, agender poet with roots in Oklahoma. His work centers his existence in the Queer Leather culture, using poetry to capture the present moment. Knowing how often Leather is erased from Queer history, Gage aims to document the trust, defiance, and intimacy within underground sexual rebellion, so future generations of Leatherqueers may feel connected to their past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>__________<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"438\" height=\"211\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15484\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg 438w, https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1-300x145.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 438px) 100vw, 438px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\">&lt;&lt; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/rakpabon-%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A9%E0%B8%9B%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%99\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/rakpabon-%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A9%E0%B8%9B%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%99\/\">Back<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/vacancy-conditional-vers\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/vacancy-conditional-vers\/\">Next<\/a> &gt;&gt;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">To learn more about submitting your work to <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/boudin-submissions\/\">Boudin<\/a><\/em> or applying to McNeese State University&#8217;s Creative Writing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/mfa-application-submissions\/\">MFA program<\/a>, please visit Submissions for details.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gage Baldwin __________ Invisible Countries Words don&#8217;t live long outside the body,Not most of them, anyway. I can tell who is family&nbsp;By the tension behind their teeth&nbsp;The hesitance in their step&nbsp;Like a sinner sneaking back&nbsp;Amongst the gods. Do not believeTheir honeyed Words, let them hang&nbsp;In the air and die. We are not welcome&nbsp;In their false&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":97,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[256],"tags":[75,145,18],"class_list":["post-22794","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pride-june-26","tag-boudin","tag-poetry-2","tag-poetry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22794","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/97"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22794"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22794\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23051,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22794\/revisions\/23051"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22794"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22794"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22794"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}