May 9th, 2009
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
Is this the same Christopher Goodrich who just published Nevertheless, hello with Steel Toe Press (Bowling Green, KY)? I am reviewing this book and like it very much. It is full of funny, tender insight about relationships and marriage in an age when we have no external forms or directives for them. I look forward to Goodrich’s next book.
Yup, indeed, Zara.