Dear Editors:

"The time has come," the Walrus said, "to speak of many things-"

In short, to skip all the pretty phrases and apologetic passages, I think your magazine stinks! I'm sorry I can't say this more poetically-but all poetry has long since gone from me in relation to your little magazine, for which once I held such high hopes.

You have let us down-we thousands upon thousands of homosexuals for whom you have been our spokesman.

How? Exactly here's how: your entire approach to the subject of homosexuality is NEGATIVE! Your whole attitude on the subject is either apologetic, "Please excuse us for being, you great, big wonderful heterosexuals," or it is pleading, "Please let us live too, you great, big wonderful homosexuals!" The heck with both of these attitudes. How about this one; "We're here, and we're here to stay and them as don't like it can lump it!'-be they heterosexual OR homosexual!"

My opinion of your magazine is no mere fly by night opinion. I have read every issue of your mag since it first came out in 1953. In the beginning first few issues your publication had a certain life and purpose in it--but through the years it has become steadily worse-more and more anemic and limp-wristed! Your last issue Oct.-Nov.--was the worst yet. THAT poetry! Gawd! It is all pessimistic from the word GO. Leave me quote a few delectable lines from that little poetic gem called. "LOST SOULS":

"About me I see a sea of faces-

City Faces.

I wonder if behind some one impassive mask,

Insouciant without.

Lies some tortured soul with thoughts akin to mine Bitter thoughts:

And so on and on ad nauseam-

Doesn't that paint a wonderful future for homosexual love? Sure. homosexual love has its disappointments as well as the heterosexual variety, but must we ALWAYS sing a dirge about it? Doesn't love EVER work out in homosexuality? From reading your magazine I would say not! Your poetry, almost to the last line and in almost every issue I have read impresses me with a nostalgia, a tremendous yearning for things never had-in short, it sounds like a batch of bawling babies LOOKING for a love they never had rather than mature adults grieving for a love they once had and lost. There is nothing REAL to the love emotions in your poetry, and this goes for the stories too for the most part. Your stories are lousily written, but I could forgive you that if they ever said anything. But again they are adolescent. They are worse than adolescent-they are just plain infantile!

I'd just like to find the author of "The Echo of a Voice"-also in your Oct.-Nov. issue I'd exterminate him! And that name he writes by "Shoji Umo"this is a fine example of what I mean about artificiality of this magazine. Obviously, this is not his real name, or if it were, why in the name of common sense doesn't he change it! It strikes me as being all a part of the big act of far too many homosexuals to dress differently, talk differently, have different mannerisms and fancy names. The devil with it! Can't we be just plain people and homosexuals too!

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