Christopher Goodrich

TELLING THE TRUTH TO DAUGHTERS

There comes a time when even daughters
must give themselves, open mouthed,
open bodied to the tongue of a boy, knowing
he will lick what he likes,
and I (oh god) must approve. How
can I not and still respect myself?
Hasn’t sex with other men’s daughters
gotten me this far? Doesn’t the world
owe some pleasure to her? Doesn’t
everyone deserve even this? I will
tell her the truth (oh god), that this too is right—
wild sex when you’re young and firm
with a boy you know and love. Even (oh god)
with a boy you will never know, never love—
it’s mind-numbing, brilliant—usually (oh god)
even more so.

—from Rattle #27, Summer 2007