If you know the mechanism
And you’ve survived all
These years
I
Applaud you

Men have it in small doses
Of rage
Barroom fights
Or when someone harms
One of their children
Understandable
Mechanism

I’ve seen & felt
The mechanism
3 or 4
Times in my existence

Where her eyes turn
Black as night
Like a shark
Ready to devour

Stabbed my food
‘I DONTWANNAPLAYRIGHTNOW!!!!!!!’

Tried running me over with the car
Threw a baseball at me from 3 feet away

Knives
Guns
If they were near
I probably wouldn’t be here

When you have that
Mechanism
You can shut off
Consequence
And the space in front
Of you
Becomes the most
Violent space
On earth