WHAT WOMEN DO INSTEAD

Oh sacrosanct
Flesh plundered

Oh sacrosanct
Tower tumbled
Humbled by
Vicious power
Oh flower
Despoiled
Destroyed

Oh sacrosanct
Shattered
Screams unheard
Pearls of tender pride
Scattered
Ripped stripped
Of virile joy

Oh sacrosanct
Laid low
Oh bitter biter-blow
The taste and smell
And touch of it
The unending
Memory-vision
Sight of it

Oh sacrosanct
Chest embraced
Close-cradled:
Why oh why?
Did I by smile
Or word or deed
Invite this spite?

Oh sacrosanct
Do they
(will they) know?
Does it show?
(oh that final
hideous sound
that grunting moan)

Will they know?
Will they all know?
(I screamed
for mercy
under that blow)

"Get up
Get up
Get up
Get out of bed;
Do what women
Do instead:
Raise high
Your head.
Did you think
Yourself sacrosanct
Precious alloy?
Your flesh sacred
Exempt?"

"Get out of bed.
Do what women
Do instead.
Straighten that spine!
Will you repine?
Cradle the sick-pup
Of your male pride?
The only sacrosanct part,
What they cannot
Reach with a prick
Or tear apart
Is your heart"

"So get out of bed;
Do what women
Do instead,
Go home to your wife,
Get on with your life."

So I did
What the woman said.
I got out of bed.


Manuela Cardiga