listen, you don’t have to tell me
you don’t have to tell me about it
look you don’t have to
you don’t have to tell me
you don’t have to tell me about it
look, you don’t look you
look you don’t have to
look look look
you don’t have to tell me
look you don’t have to tell
we don’t have to have have to do have to
you don’t have to tell me
tell me tell me anything you don’t have
you don’t have to tell me anything
you don’t have to
you don’t have to do anything
ballad of the good guy
ballad of the gluey glands
bouncer peering in my wristlet
the girl in the other bed turns over, pulling hotel sheets over her head
(cavecrawl&tell--there’s a whole alphabet heirophant here)
(tameclawed&celled---an alphabet cohort--ascenders descending & descenders ascend)
are you sure? are you sure?
I couldn’t have been
are you I couldn’t I couldn’t
have been nicer you don’t have to
I couldn’t have been nicer to you
are you sure? are you sure?
don’t you don’t have to you
don’t don’t call me when
don’t call me when you get raped
you don’t have to tell me you don’t
don’t call when you get raped
do you really have to do you really need those
you don’t have to you don’t
have to tell me
you don’t have to tell me about it
are you sure are you sure
you don’t have to tell me
(caved in & carved under, my alphabet heirophant)
i’ve always been waiting for you to tell me // the ballad of the gluey glands
even in just a towel // a plate of bread lowered to my lap
slipping his shirt on // my little stolen token // inserting my laugh
it doesn’t matter what you say now
& at the check in desk // it’s late already // your rooms are empty
that’s it?
listen you don’t have to
call me that’s it?
that? that’s it?
that? look we don’t have to
I hope i didn’t i hope i didn’t
we’re having such a good time
you don’t have to
we’re having you you don’t have to
tell me that’s it? I couldn’t have been
nicer to you are you sure? are you sure?
I don’t know what you mean I couldn’t
look, we’re having such a good time I couldn’t
have been you don’t have to tell me
anything i hope i hope i didn’t are you sure
you don’t have to tell listen you don’t have to listen
tell me you don’t tell me listen you don’t
have to tell me about you look you look you listen
MEG RONAN is the author of the obligatory garnish argument (SpringGun Press 2014). Her poems have appeared in 1913: a journal of forms, APARTMENT Poetry, Robot Melon, West Wind Review, & other lovely journals. She reads for Gazing Grain Press, an inclusive feminist chapbook press, works at Bridge Street Books in Washington, DC & tries to be like a good party.Curatorial note: The following poems are a response to a call for poetry about rape culture for the annual Delirious Advent Feature; the call is in turn an immediate response to the Rolling Stone story “A Rape on Campus” about rape culture at the University of Virginia. However, they are also part of a larger conversation about rape in poetry communities. Curated by Jessica Smith and Susana Gardner.
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