the men wake at dawn
bloody
and ready to cheat
each other
they sharpen their knives
their wits
their tongues
behind the faded curtains,
the women watch the men
slither off
to conquer the day
these ladies know well
the brutality
of the species
the senselessness
the viciousness
of the male
but instead of denouncing
the beastly ways
of men,
the women clamor
for the privilege
to do the same
to steal
to lie
to murder
to trample all of life to dust
and the children
with vacant eyes
look on and
nod
approvingly