Body Diving

I used to race skateboards down Hanover
one hundred and fifty miles an hour
crash and burn, shred my toes
tape them up and do it again

I used to spin out on dirt bikes
drag my chin through gravel
argue with gravity, centrifugal force
anything that hurt

more than his hand down my pants
nasty breath in my ear
club of a prick
breaking my triangle of wonder
my grommet of fortitude

family is family, man
but not this man
that left me speaking in euphemisms
scared to look down
but knowing that was the only way
to land on my feet and run

look ma, no hands
steering with my knees on Gibraltar Road
spitting chew, jamming throttle
puking Mad Dog 2020 after each pin curve
until the sticky taste of semen
washed clean

at his funeral I saw his mother
she said I was the bravest person
she had ever known

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