George Foreman has 5 Sons named George and Yes, I was Abused
by Cris Iacoponi

Let’s begin. George Foreman’s first son is named George (Jr).

Then in April of 1982 George Foreman came inside his wife and as he rolled over he said let’s call him George and she said yes and George III was born in the small Texas town of Humble.

Well there ain’t nothing humble about what came next, again, George Foreman inside his wife and again, let’s make another George, and again “Yes! Yes! Yes!” and again I

Have to explain to a coworker why I have nowhere to go for Thanksgiving.

Why “I don’t speak to my parents,” isn’t enough for a small South Philly Italian Woman named Janet who says, “I’m sure they loved you whatever they did.”

To which I say, I sat my mom down on the other side of me across a dark wood table with the silk flowers she loved and the black and red plates she loved and the cat she loved in her lap. I explained to her all of the ways she tore me open or let me get torn open

/starting from the feet or
/starting from the vagina or
/starting from the mouth
/the ears, the fingertips

And from her lips she pulls a strand of yarn, spins, “I should’ve had an abortion.” and I tug on my end let it drop say, “You shoulda.”

We’ve never laughed like that since. Thinking about God, thinking about how easy it would’ve been, him knitting me in my mother’s womb, to loop instead of pull, to slip.

And the next time Janet tells me your parents love you I will bring to attention that George Foreman grew more of himself like budding, like a hydra, without love. His fourth son was named George V (Red), and his fifth son was named George VI (Little Joey), with one daughter amongst them all named Georgetta.

As if each time his wife’s round belly kicked and popped he hoped a lean, mean,
grilling machine would burst forth divine. Would flow from the ridges in rendered chicken fat streams, would flow forth: divine.

Thank you George Foreman. 

Cris Iacoponi is a Philadelphia-based queer poet. Her work focuses on aspects of Surviving: mental illness, trauma, capitalism, and loneliness. Add just a touch of sexy gossip and that's a wrap. She has been published in seven magazines including Lavender Review, Awakenings Foundation, Crooked Arrow Press, and Claer. You can reach her at miacoponi@uarts.edu, or stay up to date with her work @crispoems.