Silence Is A Protest

everyone protests too much

you don't like high school girls
you really don't you say
you've known of situations
where girls and their teachers have gotten into things
and you claim not to get it
but you won't say why you don't get it
so I fish and say it's because they're still children
but you ignore that idea and keep talking
and you do it because
and I really believe this
you once liked to fuck them
or at least you fucked one of them
and you're too old to do that anymore
so you talk about how
you don't like high school girls
in front of your wife

I got that idea when her mouth pulled into itself
like a wet tissue
like she had been sucker punched
like she'd lost her future dentures
and she stared at the table's corner and looked busted
completely ungluable
but you kept talking
because your own protestations
have a ring to them you like
nonetheless she plays to you
because you go on about children and sex
and she weathers it until you're done
and I know I'm sick too
because I watch her sad little mouth
and listen to you talk
and I nod and go uh-huh and wait
and let you buy my coffee and steak sandwich
and you grin about it like this is nice
and while your money for my lunch
allows me to pretend I'm extracting some small payment for this
I know

but
with your high school girls
and her breakwater of silence with its wet mouth
and my uh-huhs and thank-you-for-the-lunch-es
everyone
protests too much
for sandwich money

Comments

[Anonymous]

Wow - great indictment.
I forgot how good you were. Keep it up!

Moskowitz at
http://ihatepoetry.joeuser.com

[kassi]

husband deciding to become a teacher = a ridiculous fear put into words.