Don't despair

 

Don’t despair, strong man.

The woman calls you thief of the love

but kicks the love of others

down the road

leading to you.

 

There’ll come a time you’ll say

“I’ll sin no more”

and welcome her

and wish to lie within the bed you make.

 

But she’ll then turn away.

 

Yes,

you wanted everything

—her love,

the flesh of others—

and copped her wrath and tears.

Yet secretly,

she wants it all as well:

your love

but the one that loves itself.

 

Oh mortal wound that’s life itself…

 

Oh empty envelope…

 

The pain,

the disgrace:

woman’s and man’s

in equal share.

 

The equality of the sexes,

I guess.