How to Tell My Dad that I Kissed a Man
by F. Douglas Brown
Blame your drag queen roommate—Lamar by day, Mahogany by night—and then
blame his sequined dresses—all slit high, up to his balls
Explain that dusk smells so different in Spain—musky cherry—tight tangerine burst—sage
mixed with lavender
Tell him you were under the influence of bees or bats—the spin and swirl of doves
Tell him you were half asleep—about to leave to the dunes just west of Madrid—better
yet say forest—he knows that crazy shit happens in a forest
Tell him no tongue but his mouth—wax-like and wet
Tell him timing
Tell him ease
Tell him sweat and sweat
Tell him lips
Tell him the juice—yeah saffron juice
Tell him flat-chested
Tell him, “crook”—I mean, “creek”
Tell him tales—lies—tears—water—weakness—churros—chocolate—hot—heat—heave—
Hush
Hush
Hush
Tell him anything you want—then tell him
You did it again
F. DOUGLAS BROWN is a proud Cave Canem and a Kundiman fellow who teaches English at Loyola
High School of Los Angeles, an all boys Jesuit school. He has a MA in Literature and Creative
Writing from San Francisco State University. When he is not writing or teaching or pampering his
two children, Isaiah and Olivia, he is busy DJing in the greater Los Angeles area.
Blame your drag queen roommate—Lamar by day, Mahogany by night—and then
blame his sequined dresses—all slit high, up to his balls
Explain that dusk smells so different in Spain—musky cherry—tight tangerine burst—sage
mixed with lavender
Tell him you were under the influence of bees or bats—the spin and swirl of doves
Tell him you were half asleep—about to leave to the dunes just west of Madrid—better
yet say forest—he knows that crazy shit happens in a forest
Tell him no tongue but his mouth—wax-like and wet
Tell him timing
Tell him ease
Tell him sweat and sweat
Tell him lips
Tell him the juice—yeah saffron juice
Tell him flat-chested
Tell him, “crook”—I mean, “creek”
Tell him tales—lies—tears—water—weakness—churros—chocolate—hot—heat—heave—
Hush
Hush
Hush
Tell him anything you want—then tell him
You did it again
F. DOUGLAS BROWN is a proud Cave Canem and a Kundiman fellow who teaches English at Loyola
High School of Los Angeles, an all boys Jesuit school. He has a MA in Literature and Creative
Writing from San Francisco State University. When he is not writing or teaching or pampering his
two children, Isaiah and Olivia, he is busy DJing in the greater Los Angeles area.
