“Women these days think they

Can do whatever they want

with their bodies-

That is false.”

Said my community preacher:

White. Middle aged. Man.

The prime recipe for patriarchy

Staple food for America

For Saudi Arabia

For Iran

 

Like salt, the universal food

Sprinkled everywhere:

In the workplace

In the universities

In the home

 

White crystalline compound

Feeling invisible. No

You are crystal clear to us

 

The salt of the earth

Bullshit.

Salt is

Harsh to the tongue

Speech without thought

 

That which burns wet skin

Wet with the tears of our mothers

Wet with the sweat of hard work

Wet with the showers of our pride

 

You use salt to preserve

food once “your women”

stop cooking it

 

Tell me what you will do

Once “your women”

Stop cooking

Once there is no more

Salt left

 

----

 

And so, when He demands me to

Pass the salt, bitch

I will surprise him with pepper