a blue book and a water gun
Dear Rebecca,
When I read your book of essays
Men Explain Things to Me
I finally learned the lesson
that had already been taught to me
many times
One time, at a fundraiser for solar energy
the drinks were flowing
and I was a grad student
unclutching my drink tickets
twice
‘Liquid courage’ to explain
a few things about AC/DC
oh not the band
The different ways electricity is produced
and delivered
She called me out
You are mansplaining
Sorry I just meant that I —
No, stop, don’t justify your splain to me
(her eyes said)
Some steam poured out of my ears then
Maybe they finally got unclogged
Then I went to the bar
to refill my esophagus
with the liquid
Hey give me a beer
The bartender pulled out her gun
to threaten me
no, save me
Water
You need this
I sure did, I took some sips
I wandered around aimlessly
Then I biked my false pride
to bed
Later, I was still licking my wounds
reading the blue book of essays...
It all makes sense now
Thanks, Rebecca.
++John