excerpt from “latent rapists” by Ntozakhe Shange

these men friends of ours
who smile nice
stay employed
and take us out to dinner
lock the door behind you
wit fist in face
to fuck
who make elaborate mediterranean dinners
& let the art ensemble carry all ethical burdens
while they invite a coupla friends over to have you
are sufferin from latent rapist bravado
& we are left wit the scars
bein betrayed by men who know us
& expect
like the stranger
we always thot waz comin
that we will submit
we must have known
women relinquish all personal rights
in the presence of a man
who apparently cd be considered a rapist
especially if he has been considered a friend
& is no less worthy of bein beat witin an inch of his life
bein publicly ridiculed
havin two fists shoved up his ass
than the stranger
we always thot it wd be
who never showed up
cuz it turns out the nature of rape has changed
we can now meet them in circles we frequent for companionship
we see them at the coffeehouse
wit someone else we know
we cd even have em over for dinner
& get raped in our own houses
by invitation
a friend