ManicDDaily

Shame Amidshipmen

Gobs of semen lobbed
on a lolling face–don’t talk to me
of protecting and defending when a woman
drunk to sleep
is but a c(o)untry to be surrounded,
invaded, ground
into your back seat, thoroughly
pillaged.

Your compatriot,
your comrade in arms,
your fellow human.

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This was written, crazily, in response to Claudia Schoenfeld’s poetics prompt for dVerse Poets Pub about bathroom poetry – I was thinking of “shower” and this came up.  I’m sorry.  I’ve been very disturbed and outraged today reading about the investigation of a serial rape case involving midshipmen (primarily from the football team) at the US Naval Academy.  Facts are not in, and I don’t mean to implicate the men involved in this particular incident, but lately there have been many reports of sexual abuse and harassment at the academies, and in the military generally.  There are proud institutions that have garnered and deserved a great deal of respect historically, so it is pretty shocking.  (At least to me.)  Sorry this is so grim – I could not think of a graphic.  Check out dVerse for much more cheerful poems today!