What a Man Must Do

His palms were sweaty,
His eyes took in more-
Yet everything was a blur.
She deserved this.
Everyone said so.
And pegging her down,
Muffling her screams
He did it-
What a man must do.
He slapped her while she cried.
Foolish women- they should
Know better- they should
Know to not refuse.
After minutes- hours maybe
He got up, tired.
And looked at her- clothed with bruises,
Heaving, ever so softly and the tear tracks
From her closed eyes.
They stood outside, listening
And patted him on his back-
Asked them if they could have their share.
He smiled.
They nodded.

Two days later, the police-
Found a bloated body of a female
They said her genitals were mutilated.
Everyone frowned.
Everyone looked down in sadness.
Everyone said society was in the gutters.
Everyone went to work-
In their tawdry glass cabins
Or in the noisy streets- where
Her screams could not be heard.
And in those places of work
Everyone talked of what a man must do.
They nodded.