We like to say
we cannot live
with or without
you
yet every
single one of us
was engendered
by one of you.

We suffer the
tortures and injustices
that litter the pages
of ruthless newspapers
all by your hands
yet every
single one of you
was born
from one of us.

We speak of one another
as alien
yet we are
the same species.

I cannot bear
to gaze at your eyes
while my mind
attempts to grind
down this travesty.

I am at a loss
when I stand
before you
beside you
I feel the pangs
of fear
I sense your greater
muscle mass
the violent stimulus
of your testosterone
you reek of this
steroid
to my sensitive nose.

What should I do?
Lower my eyes
cover my breasts
with one hand
my genital area
with the other?
Kneel before you
ashamed of my
different gender?
Spring possessed
of psychopathic craze
aiming for your throat
to cleanse my world
of the scourge
of your stifling
maleness?

Or perhaps pounce
tear your clothes
bare your flesh
your phallus erect
standing fast
protector
of your precious
testes
open my legs
grant you the pleasure
of release
within my throbbing
yoni?

Could I not
just shake your hand?
But how to filter
the overpowering message
of that accursed steroid
you manufacture
between your lower limbs?
The overpowering stimulus
of your mere presence
defeats any attempt
at rationality.
Usually I get by
just looking away
struggling to concentrate
on whatever it was
that brought us
together.
Professional concerns
coincidence
the reality of
daily human
existence.

But my heart beats
faster
faster
faster
my lungs crave
air
air
air
my limbs
s h a k e
uncontrollably
dizziness
tears at my temples
I fall
fall
fall...

Then suddenly the anxiety passes.
You were saying, professor?
Sorry coach, I lost track.
Sorry sir, could you repeat
what you just said?

I truly must learn
to relate to you
somewhere else
other than at these
extremes
of immobilizing terror
murderous rage
or all-consuming
desire.

Men
by Cindy Aixmar Salgado