deepundergroundpoetry.com
Male Tears
I haven’t processed half of what I should.
The constant state of man is such:
we shed tears in the dark, as understood
at five or so that even death is much
preferable to girlishness,
or what’s perceived as such.
We wander in the deadly wilderness
whose spirit quests were forced by other men;
the system justified, even while it kills.
We strip the song from out the wren,
the boys from out the men.
And pack the hearts in stone that chills.
And so do male tears collect, in clay fleshpots
in silence stored, inscribed with what it holds.
The constant state of man is such:
we shed tears in the dark, as understood
at five or so that even death is much
preferable to girlishness,
or what’s perceived as such.
We wander in the deadly wilderness
whose spirit quests were forced by other men;
the system justified, even while it kills.
We strip the song from out the wren,
the boys from out the men.
And pack the hearts in stone that chills.
And so do male tears collect, in clay fleshpots
in silence stored, inscribed with what it holds.
Published 25th Sep 2023
Author's Note
I don’t know if this is still a thing, but at one time certain online feminists would drink from mugs inscribed with “male tears” (hence the picture) or bathe in tubs with such a sign.
I don’t dispute the justification behind that; I think that a lot of feminists were understandably hacked off with being told to consider men’s feelings and that “not all men” are bad, missing the point that worrying about men’s feelings and whether or not they’ll lead to violence is what women have been socially forced to do for a very, very long time.
However, the “male tears” concept struck me as a good basis for a poem about how men are not socialised to be emotionally healthy.
I don’t dispute the justification behind that; I think that a lot of feminists were understandably hacked off with being told to consider men’s feelings and that “not all men” are bad, missing the point that worrying about men’s feelings and whether or not they’ll lead to violence is what women have been socially forced to do for a very, very long time.
However, the “male tears” concept struck me as a good basis for a poem about how men are not socialised to be emotionally healthy.
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25th Sep 2023 11:34pm
26th Sep 2023 00:34am
We strip the song from out the wren,
the boys from out the men.
That ^ and that final stanza are amazing imagery. We do strip the song from out the wren. . .and so forth.
the boys from out the men.
That ^ and that final stanza are amazing imagery. We do strip the song from out the wren. . .and so forth.
26th Sep 2023 6:38am
26th Sep 2023 6:41am
Was a solitary tear I wrote a poem...
______________
The composition
Of the tear
Rolling
Down my cheek
Shimmering in the Shine
The composition
Of the tear
Rolling
Down my cheek
Sleek
Manifests in
molecules
having edges
of ledges
which
shimmer
in glimmering facets of
Jewels
Shimmering in
the shine
of
souls
______________
I have had this thought...
The composition of tears...
I had this idea where certain
tears are actually a magical molecule...
______________
The composition
Of the tear
Rolling
Down my cheek
Shimmering in the Shine
The composition
Of the tear
Rolling
Down my cheek
Sleek
Manifests in
molecules
having edges
of ledges
which
shimmer
in glimmering facets of
Jewels
Shimmering in
the shine
of
souls
______________
I have had this thought...
The composition of tears...
I had this idea where certain
tears are actually a magical molecule...
28th Sep 2023 10:51pm
