when I was a little boy
my
dad would often take me
to a local arena that
held regular wwf events.

we spent so many
hours
watching men and women
battling inside the squared circle
and sometimes out.

on one such event
as the crowd dispersed to
buy food
beer
and
t-shirts during intermission
I asked my dad if
wrestling was real.

he looked at me earnestly
put a hand on my
shoulder and said

yes son, it is.

it wasn’t the
worst lie
he ever told.

Alan ten-Hoeve hails from Parts Unknown.