OH DEAR GOD, PLEASE! NOT ANOTHER RAPE POEM

Preface

Some mothers set their daughters alight to keep their men warm.

and some family members would rather describe the smoke than smell like it.

• sometimes [hell] is a penis

• sometimes [girls] repent just to save themselves from encountering the devil

• sometimes [uncle] is a boyfriend. a random. a test you will keeping taking but always fail

•  sometimes [uncle] is a siren in some living rooms

• sometimes [uncle] is an aircon everyone is too lazy to adjust or switch off

• sometimes [the daughters] are not left alone with him

• but [he] is not banned from family gatherings, either

• sometimes [collateral damage] is another way of saying:

• I am a coward

Body

Many things are cultural. Like:

• oppikoppi

• nike

• theatre

• afrikaburn

• church

• crop tops

sometimes [rape] is placed in the same sentence as:

• alleged

• consent

• culture

rape culture:

a term that makes the act seem
like:

• something you could wear (voluntarily)

• or wash

• or take off

• or drop off at the laundry

• or buy tickets to see

• or an experience you are excited to tweet about

• or a meme that goes viral

• or something whites anticipate to appropriate

• or a zol passed around at a bonfire

• or salt at the dinner table

Conclusion

• forks scraping empty plates is a soundtrack for when that uncle enters the room

• nobody wants to do the dishes until the secret slips

• the womxn in the family would rather toil in the kitchen than crucify their

• husbands or brothers or sons or respected elders

• (sometimes) hell is burning between their thighs, too

• (sometimes) they can no longer find salvation in their vows

• but the gospel has taught them how to stay

• even when the devil is the one promising eternity

• it’s easier to hold the [child] accountable for a ‘’lie’’ than it is to hold the [uncle] accountable for the truth
• the [children] play hide-n-seek and find grown people’s things in forbidden rooms

• the [family] is not interested in the nightmares they have thereafter

because

• no one wants to have x-mas dinner with skeletons

• and, anyway

• the [girls] were warned

• hide-n-seek is for heathens

• and [girls] should not be out so late playing with men boys

Addendum

somewhere, a loud sigh finishes this with oh dear God, please! not another rape poem.

Reference list/bibliography

• X-mas gathering

• Patriarchs

• Uncle So-and-So

• Boyfriend #6

• Inyamezelo

• Imbokodo

• Proverbs 31

• Sistah Bettina

• Delilah

• Black Solidarity

• Apologists

• The neighbours can never see your dirty laundry

• Bazothini abantu syndrome

• It is the Model C school (we sent you to)

• #NakedProtests

• Sjamboks

• Vaginas with emergency signs

• Miniskirts

• Drunk girls

• Campus

• Hoes

• Twerking

• Slutty behaviour

• Sluts in general

• Matric dance

• Serving that uncle a glass of water

• Hug uncle

• Greet uncle

• Stop being funny

• Stop being antisocial

• Give uncle a kiss

• Sit on uncle’s lap