GYLLENHAAL LEDGER

Inspired by "Brokeback Mountain"? Colin Meloy, author and lead singer of The Decemberists, has started a Twitter thread of erotic fiction based in the wildlife compound seized by armed militants near Burns. (AP Photo/Focus Features, Kimberly French)

(KIMBERLY FRENCH/AP)

Could Colin Meloy's next work of fiction be a tale of forbidden love among macho, camo-clad constitutionalists trapped in the rugged eastern Oregon outback?

Meloy, the Portland-based author of the "Wildwood" chronicles and Grammy-winning lead singer of The Decemberists, has started the latest social-media meme poking fun at the surreal armed militia standoff near Burns.

Ammon Bundy and his band of militants have been holed up together in a closed wildlife refuge's visitor center since Sunday.

On Tuesday night, Meloy, obviously taking a shot at the collective stoney-faced, gun-grabbing masculinity of the Bundy clan, tweeted the first line of what he is calling #BundyEroticFanFic.

"They huddled together for warmth. The cold of Ammon's Ruger 22 against Brian's naked thigh sent a thrill up his spine." #bundyeroticfanfic — colin meloy (@colinmeloy) January 6, 2016

Meloy's followers are relishing the opportunity to add their own 140-character chapters to what could eventually be called "Brokeback Bird Refuge."

Some of the emasculating entries aren't exactly safe for the office, field or church. The homoerotic satire gets pretty racy, with a lot of references to, ahem, guns and violations of "private lands."

Here's a sample:

@colinmeloy Brian leaned in and softly whispered "Ammon, we are out of snacks" — LeftDial (@LeftDial) January 6, 2016

Check on in at @colinmeloy for the best in #bundyeroticfanfic.

-- rebecca gates (@rebeccagates)

Yeah, um, let's stop there.

It should also be noted that a Decembrist is a Imperial Russian revolutionary who in Decembrist 1825 took part in an unsuccessful revolt against the government. The leaders were executed. They were later regarded as leftist martyrs.

As the showdown at the bird sanctuary drags on, every day brings new satirical Internet memes that appear designed to ridicule the group of sagebrush rebels into surrendering peacefully.

It's hard to tell which frigid crucible has been worse for the armed occupants: the snowy government refuge or biting public opinion.

On Twitter on Tuesday night, Bundy appeared to compare his group's actions to Rosa Parks' famous refusal to give up her public bus seat to a white man. That action triggered the Montgomery bus boycotts and galvanized the civil rights movement.

One problem: Bundy isn't on Twitter. It was a fake account.

Still, the fake Bundy tweet triggered more widespread derision:

@goldietaylor I'll never forget her famous words, "Please send snacks" — 2019 will not take me (@RegressiveElf) January 6, 2016

I was so excited to see Rosa Parks trending. Then, cruel disappointment. — gwen ifill (@gwenifill) January 6, 2016

A RICH WHITE MAN LIKE YOU @Ammon_Bundy isn't worthy to lick the shoes of Rosa Parks or any black woman fighting for our civil & human rights — Liza Sabater 🇵🇷👸🏾 (@blogdiva) January 6, 2016

-- Joseph Rose

503-221-8029

jrose@oregonian.com

@josephjrose