Jay Audrey
Five Facts My Father (You) Taught Me
one—I am abundant and do not need to change
(when I was 12 you began to tell me
I needed to watch my weight)
two—I am allowed to be exactly as I am
(when I was 15 you told me I
should just call my girlfriend a friend
so nobody at church would think of me
like that)
(you hoped they wouldn’t see your failure
when they looked at queer me)
three—I am safe and deserve to be safe
(when I was 17 you left)
four—I am fully and easily loved
(when I was 18 you told me
you loved me conditionally)
(when-I-was-18-you-told-me-
you-loved-me-conditionally)
five—I will be held softly and well by many
(when I was 21 you told me that
it felt like I had been stabbing you
as you carried me, but I cannot recall
you ever carrying me)
(I cannot recall you ever carrying me)