Dad

He told a guy from school his

secret as he was renting porn

at the video store up the street

Soon all the guys at school knew

My dad dressed up as a woman

and partied with other men

Maybe it would’ve been different

If he had been a drag queen with

a cool name an outrageous persona

But no

He just partied as a middle-aged woman

with men who didn’t know any better

I asked my sister a few years back if he was gay

and she said he was complicated and quirky

She didn’t exactly put my mind to rest

Thing is, I don’t care if he was gay

I just wish he could’ve told me himself

He died nineteen years ago today

This story makes me feel like

I never knew him