Collateral Damage

Some women take

What isn’t given;

They have no manners.

They believe they have the right

To ignite

And then wait smugly for you

To reach agreement.

You said, ‘you’re just jealous’

What a sorry fool you are

I was trying to help you

But men like you can’t be helped

You’re ink in the nib

Scratched into shape on the paper.

And here she is, wearing your clothes

Buying crappy plastic baby things

Oh boy,

I know you’d trade out of this for anything.

You corner me in the feminine hygiene aisle

You dully say,

‘I’m sorry I called you an envious vixen,

I’m sorry now I didn’t listen’

Your eyes are strange; you’ve gone away.
It’s not ‘love’ when a woman fulfils her own mission,

Hey, don’t worry about me

It’s you that’s been sentenced;
Daddy prison.