Wednesday 28 November 2018


OLD SCHOOL
as told to the poet by SGM

by Alexis Rhone Fancher


Its 1984. A board member at the L.A. Library Association pushes me against the Xerox
machine, forces his tongue down my throat.

Its 1977 when I watch the musical director at Lincoln Center jack off under his desk. Over
dirty martinis his assistant confides its her job to wipe up the semen splatter each night before
she goes home.

Its 1985. I’m raising money for medical research when Dr. Abdul R.H. greets me at the Saudi embassy. When my shoe catches the hem of my dress, exposing my breasts, he claps.

Its 1978. The Brooklyn Academy of Music. Six of us girls lunch at my bosss flat in the Village. Before dessert he leans back, unzips his fly.

Its 1988. My boss, notorious ladiesman James ‘Jimmy’ R., president of Cal State L.A., propositions me, my sister, and every woman under the age of thirty. Afraid of retribution, no one reports him.

Its 1971. Six of us cheerleaders at Blair High watch a man in the stands masturbate to our practice routines. Ive never seen a penis, up close, erect. What cha lookin’ at? he smirks.

Its 1985. Board member David M. asks me out in front of the entire board. His masculinity’s
at stake.

Its 1986. Dr. Abdul R. H. invites me to discuss the research budget at his L.A. hotel. His suite is filled with roses. Hes naked under the robe.

Its 1972. Dr. Lusk, university physician, palpates my breasts as part of a sore throat exam. You
have nice, German breasts, he exclaims. He prescribes a spanking, lozenges.

Its 1973. Danny hits me in the face for calling him a male chauvinist pig. Later, he holds me
outside of a moving car until I agree to fuck him.

Its 1978. I tell the president of the Brooklyn Academy of Music were all resigning as a group.
Who iswe”? he asks. I realize I’m on my own.


* * * * *

 "Old School" was first published in Diode (July, 2018).

Alexis Rhone Fancher is published in The Best American Poetry 2016, Verse Daily, Plume, 
Rattle, Literary Mama, Diode, Pirene’s Fountain, Tinderbox, Nashville Review, and elsewhere. 
She’s the author of four poetry collections; How I Lost My Virginity To Michael Cohen and 
other heart stab poems, (2014), State of Grace: The Joshua Elegies, (2015), Enter Here, (2017), 
and Junkie Wife, (2018). A multiple Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominee, Alexis is poetry editor of Cultural Weekly. www.alexisrhonefancher.com 

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