One Man's Truth

I am a man
I am not alone
Still,
I must take care of myself
I am part of a whole
But still,
I must look after myself
There are those who depend on me
Therefore,
I must look out for myself

I am a man, not a woman
No sympathy or softness will I receive.
I love my woman.
I love my children.
It is in my nature
And my soul to provide for them as I can.
Because there are those who need me
I must stay strong and able.
I do not lessen my portion in order to give to those who look to me, at least not for long.
My method
Is to increase what I have.
My goal
Is to ensure that there is enough to go around for all of us,
But without diminishing the amount that I feel is necessary to maintain the strength level I believe I need to keep in order to care for and defend all that is and all who are mine.