Symphonia

Symphonia is a collection of four stories, all on a similar theme: what happens to a gay Mormon man after his first same-sex opportunity. The four sections take their titles from the world of music, hinting at the resolution of each individual. “Pavane for a Dying Prince” suggests Ravel’s “Pavane for a Dead Princess,” yet this pavane is not a courtly dance, but a mourning dirge for a prince, alone. “Postlude to the Night of the Faun” alludes to Debussy’s “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.” Also a dirge, this story focuses on mental and spiritual effects of the faun’s night, including his attitudes toward himself: a sinful faun. “Requiem” focuses on the prayer for peace and rest. “Fantasia” is not a reality, but a portrayal of what could be if as a people we work for it.

Excerpt from “Requiem” in Symphonia:

…Talk had been so easy about literature and music the night before. The whole world had changed since then. You are damned, [Drew thought]. What you and Antonio did was evil. And as he thought the man’s name, he felt the gratitude toward the man who had loved him so kindly. Oh, that is so evil. You’re like the dog returning to its vomit.

            …Antonio entered the kitchen. [Drew] blushed and would not look at Antonio. Yet he felt the man there, thrilled at the memory of his holding him, felt his soul reaching out to this man’s presence. Oh, you are abominable. You are lost forever. And he retreated away from the doorway and Antonio’s presence.

            Mr. Woodham noted the flicker of pain in Antonio’s eyes and watched his new guest withdraw his eyes.

            “Buon giorno,” Antonio said to Mr. Woodham, crossing the room to give him a hug and a kiss on his cheek.

            “Buon giorno, ragazzo mio. Did you sleep well?”

            “Yes. With angels,” Antonio responded glancing with a smile over at their guest. Drew blushed and looked away.