One Poet’s Response to an Obscene, Sexually Objectifying Question

The man behind the bodega counter asked me if I can deep throat. Said, “you look like the kind of girl who can swallow, who can make a man forget that his girl can’t do certain things.”

In an attempt to respond, I thought irrational of me to be both woman and hungry, to confuse myself with the kind of person who has rights, to be woman and house of body is to break all the floors.

Is to know most men think your mouth adore. Think your mouth always open. Think you steadfast ready. Think you beckon their call. Their call loud as sirens. Their sirens break all the windows.

You woman house a body that stay breaking, creaking men think the fragments are an opening, walk through you, like your walls are an invitation, run their panel through all your floors.

You don’t recall thinking yourself a welcome mat except for the fact that you just came out the womb both woman and body and men.

Like most people want to crawl back into that body and you woman house a body that both absorbs and expels. So naturally, you’re the first they coming for.

Dare speak bitch. Feminist. Man basher.

Even though you ain’t bashing all men, just the men who think and act this kind of way.

Still you man hater. You be mad and lonely. Ain’t no man going to love you.

Echo loudly as if that’s the only accomplishment us women strive for. Like that’s the only role us women play.

Patriarchy so evident it steeps through floor you’ve got until everyone is calling you out, your name.

You no longer Stacy, you whore from downtown, head game so good, got a man walking in the right direction.

See, how quickly you become a mouth again, a cavity, a temple, and brothel, both cathedral and Jezebel. Cattle and disparage you, not just dressed up high heels stomping pavement.

You asking for it as if your body were an eager child who can’t use it’s words.

You, woman, can’t form words, but movement. Movement demands attention. Attention suggests you get everything you deserve.

You woman, get everything you deserve regardless if you wanted it because what do you know of desire except for what is told to you?

What do you know of your body except for what is told to you? What do you know of what your needed except for what you’re needed for? What are you needed for? Other than a mouth and the right kind of softness.

So I stood there, my jaw a waving flag, legs the right kind of run ready, and said, “If your girl can’t swallow, how does she eat?”