Congratulations on Being a Feminist

by Angus Grieve-Smith

They have met. A woman has brought them together.
	He a feminist and she a female.
	He a feminist
	Who refused to chase girls in first grade.
	She a female
	Who lived near his old elementary school.

	She says, "She looks at her hands,"
	And she looks at her hands.
	He takes her hands.
	They kiss.
	They have fun.
	The excitement of the first.
	He is old and new,
	She is young and experienced.
	She is young and experienced,
	And appears to like what she's found.
	He is old and new,
	And likes this new thing that she knows.

	One day they are kissing.
	His box is playing a song he knows well.

		But the wire,
		The wire turned to lizard skin,
	And he cried.

(Something he hadn't done in a long time, but he used to do in first grade.)

	He is glad she is there
	To cry on.

	And then she cries,
	And he is there for her to cry on.

	He knows why he cried,
	But he doesn't know her.
	He knows why he cried,
	It was because of the song and the kisses.
	But he doesn't know her
	Reasons for crying.

	She says that losing your virginity is a big step.
	He is flattered,
	But not sure he's ready.

	Later he thinks,
	And maybe he will.
	But she is never ready.

	What is she trying to do?
	Did she change her mind?
	Dialogue deteriorates,
	And soon he has to move away.
	It is the end.

	Three years later, oh, why did he ask?
	She tells him what she saw.
	In her eyes he wanted and she didn't and everything he did was trying
to get her into he cried another gimmick what was she supposed to do a
last plea: 

losing your virginity is a big step. 

	For him it came out of nowhere,
	For her it was part of a dialogue.

	And now she is a feminist.
	She says I would have kicked your ass
	I don't blame you for being a product of your culture
	But I wouldn't hesitate to use rape for what you wanted to do to me.

	You fucking bitch.
	I hope you never know what the eyes of a rapist look like.

November 10, 1992