Vanishing coin, hare pulled by its ears from a hat,
the lovely assistant who is disappeared, sawed
in half, guillotined, her squeals prelude to applause
as if absenting the world of one more woman
is prank, the image of her bloodied before missing
worth the price of admission, as if one needs a ticket
to the gravest show on earth, rather than a lock
on patriarchy’s door, consent to mind and body,
a stacked deck and sleight of hand protecting
unalienable rights that emerge face up
on the arrayed pack, our unfaltering gaze
on the hand behind the back, never taking
our eyes off anyone who tells us to lighten up,
we’re so much prettier when we smile.
I appreciate your BITE! Well said!!