Tuesday, December 01, 2015

Poem of the Week: Straight Up by Owen Gallagher

A playful and euphemistic poem about masculinity and the festering, phallic fear of sexual inadequacy


Tape measure being used
The erectile death warrant: “Is that it?” Photograph: Getty Images/Image Source
Straight Up
When she grasped what I considered big,
stuttered Is that it?
I fumbled with the zip.


For a decade I thought myself unfit,
destined to drift
with lads unable to get onto the pitch.


Until I was referred to a page-turner
for the inadequate,
What men can do with or without it.

which I believe is strapped on like this.

This week’s poem comes from Owen Gallagher’s third collection, A Good Enough Love, recently published by Salmon Poetry.
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