must be an acquired skill.
He never even asked
if I’d gotten high before my little
Albuquerque adventure.
Never asked if I enjoyed
spending time with the monster.
He only wanted to know if Buddy
and I had done the dirty, perhaps right there
between his own disgusting sheets.
His question reeked
of voyeurism.
And he accepted my negative answer
with a smile that meant
he didn’t believe a word.
I wondered if Mom
would have.
Dad Went Out
Left me
to
fret
to
stress
to
cry
to
choke
on
emotion
and
great