first glimpse at nudity as a child

before

i found my father's

playboy

magazines hidden

in the back

of a closet

next to his shoes,

i discovered

National Geographic

magazines

at the library

in high school.

next to a hippopotamus,

or a roaring

fire

there were

always

semi-clad tribal women

dancing

around in grass skirts

howling

at the moon.

playboy

was a step up, for sure.