you prance around
making sure that everybody
understands that you’re the man
whatever that means to you
you mean that you’re the man
who invades my space
the man who breathes in
the air around my mouth
the man who makes the room feel too small
and inescapable
the man who turns his body
into my straitjacket
the man whose smile is a threat
I’ve known that smile since I was born
gullible boys looking up to you
fatherfigurelessly
you usurp and contaminate
until they sound like you
and act like you
the man who doesn’t leave a hair
on a woman’s head
Croque-Melpomene 