Belly up, fat
tongue out, centered
& dead in the road I found a frog.
The stray mutt who’d walk with me
picked it up with a sniff & wag.
Walking the dog into Oklahoma morning,
I wished for the summer to end.
No more of the trailer with tin steps hot
& sharp on my bare feet. No more
fishing for perch in a creek near Skiatook
with those naked boys.
Did I know I was gay? I knew
the country didn’t want me.
And Alice pushed me in the creek
when I refused to kiss.
Maybe none of this is true—
maybe that’s how the frog felt.
Nathan Fako (he/they) is a former high school teacher. You can find them at @nfako.bsky.social