after you show her the venom in a man
how it curdles at the slightest offense
how the lip and snarl and teeth and thrust
is thy byproduct of something masculine
tell her
what she must do to appease it
what sacrifices she must make
what fear must linger at the base of her throat
like a choir perched ready to scream
tell her
not walk by herself at night
not on campus or to the store
not even the parking lot of her church
can be sanctified against happenings such as these
teach her
to carry her drink at parties
to make a flirtation of keeping it in her eyeline
tell her [tell her]
about that one time
you were out with your friends
and there was that girl
who put her cup down
explain how they never found out who did it
even though everyone knows his name
teach her
to dress like a lady
remind her they still may call her a whore
that a sundress is tantamount to invitation
more risque and they'll say she's asking for it
tell her
that every two minutes
someone yells "fire"
while they scream and punch and claw and kick
hoping that something like help will appear
and if no help comes
if no help comes
tell her
she must lay still
make sure she knows this
like the phone number and address she learned when she was five
even though none of this matters
not unless you also tell him
no means no
every time
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