He's got noble feelings
and big dreams
but small hands,
not made for fighting
- especially not wars
against the will and acts
of giants.
Weak and limited as he is
he still walks on
with the raging crowds,
pursuing the common good
above his own,
he was once told tears
will turn men into boys
by cracking open their chests,
their hearts made visible,
left vulnerable.
He knows now it's the
consciousness of vulnerability
and the imperative of self-preservation
that will turn boys into men.
I've always liked the stereotype of a man showing his feelings as being unmanly, and I laugh hysterically because it is highly untrue. There are times when being strong for others is necessary, and there are times when it is okay to let it all out. Besides, it is unhealthy to keep all of that inside.
ReplyDeletea lesson I hope my own two sons will learn ~
ReplyDeleteThis is so rich in language and the nuances a skilled poet can write between the lines. Striking and memorable.
ReplyDelete