She Thanked Me!

a poem by Jan Oskar Hansen

Tell me that I’m beautiful,
the abused pathetic alley woman said.
I did and felt the cold hand of lies
and sinful lust trickle down my spine.
Quickly now get it over with,
drink straight from the bottle to ease your shame
and hope she will leave before sunrise.
When she thanked me for taking good care of her
my guilt echoed between mountaintops she will never see.