Frank Ocean’s new poem ‘Boyfriend’ is heartfelt, political, and must-read

It’s been an overwhelming few days for Frank Ocean fans. After four years of waiting for the follow-up to his critically acclaimed album Channel Orange, the star practically flooded us with new content, including two albums and a magazine.

It’s like the old saying goes: you wait ages for one Frank Ocean project to arrive, then three come at once.

While everyone’s been getting stuck into the two albums, the enigmatic Endless and more traditional – but still incredible – Blond, a handful of fans were lucky enough to get their hands on an accompanying magazine, Boys Don’t Cry.

As well as a physical copy of the album Blond to get stuck into, those who snagged the limited edition zine were treated to a weirdly wonderful poem about McDonalds by none other than Kanye West.

But one of the most interesting parts of the zine is a poem entitled Boyfriend, in which Frank opens up about a relationship in the the most public exploration of his sexuality since revealing in 2012 that a number of songs on Channel Orange were inspired by a man. Read it in full below:

my boyfriend drives a lil bucket
when it rain it fills up with rain
my boyfriend he gon pick me up
don’t distract him at the wheel
in his lane
he’s the only one

my boyfriend he misses me when i’m gone
so he don’t forget me
there’s a song he sings
calms his nerve, endings
my boyfriend is friendly
and we don’t want no problems

i could say that i’m happy
they let me and my boyfriend become married
i could say that i’m happy
but cross my heart i didn’t notice
hope to die no never, we voted
me and my boyfriend cast our ballot
every kiss reads like a poem
making wrongs right like a poem

i couldn’t say i dream of you
because my dreams are filled with no one
and all is lost
me and my boyfriend we found
we don’t hope for beyonds at all
me and my boyfriend spend time
and that’s all i’m holding on
this time

we got permission
nothing’s above condition
but this ain’t a thang
it’s a mission

can’t join the band so sing along
me and my boyfriend got it going on
sleep with fans and t shirts on
asleep in vans your legs all strewn
across my lap
tan lines where your watch was strapped
you took off to make time

cut your hair
you left it long
i love to stare
there’s nothing wrong
and if i die while i’m asleep
i pray to God my boyfriend
keeps my secret
peace

No, you’re sobbing into your morning coffee over the romance of it all.

Endless and Blond are out now.

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