How To Be A Man By: Simar Singh Poem by Kim Parsley

Men don't feel pain.
We've been brought up in households, which made us preach such false teachings.
They told me I would soon be the man of the house, while I was just 6 years old.
It's not their fault you see.
This is what they've been taught since centuries, that men don't feel and men don't cry.
Man up they told me, man up young boy.
And as a kid, I once cried in public, and people laughed as if they actually loved it.
And then that kid wiped his eyes, his smiling face was full of lies.
He'd make a decent writer but an engineer sounds more wise.
When can we finally talk mental violence?
So that I can finally break this silent silence?
So that I can unlock my door and let you in
Don't ask me why was it shut so long and why is it so dark in here?
So this is about the men in your life?
And contrary to popular belief, this is till feminism.
This is for every father, every brother, every son.
Who has wet his pillow so many times and yet he's woken up just fine.
He's broken down yet and yet he's smiled, he's owned his mustache, yet he's still a child.
He wishes he could talk to you about this, but he wouldn't know where to begin.
He's a product a failed social system, where expressing himself was considered a sin.
And he's buried them all inside and look, he's alive and yet he carries his kin.
Look at his tears drip from his silence, you need to break this silence and talk to him.
So go, talk to your dad.
Ask him what his dreams were, what he really wanted to pursue.
Talk to your elder brother.Ask him what he is going through, how he landed up in this job he never wanted to.
Tell him you miss him, and that he could spend more time at home. And that he doesn't need to hide his notebook anymore.
Talk to your son.Who might be really young but tell him he needs to speak and that crying in public won't mean that he is weak.But he can't cry himself to sleep every night because the world is running out of dry pillows.
Talk to them.They might not speak up about they have been through and it might take them awhile to actually share. But it will be comforting for them to know that someone's there for them to listen, someone will help them take care.
And most importantly, talk to yourself.Look into the mirror, smile.