Raising a Man
I AM A WOMAN FORCED TO RAISE A MAN
EVERY MAN IN MY LIFE HAS EITHER LIED OR ABUSED
HURT OR CONFUSED ME
SO HERE I AM STUCK
I'M JUST ALL OUT OF LUCK
AND FRANKLY, I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO
I AM A WOMAN FORCED TO RAISE A MAN
AND I DON’T HAVE A CLUE
I LOVE MY CHILD
BUT I HAVE NO EXPERIENCE
I HAVE BEEN AROUND REALLY STRONG WOMEN
BUT RAISING A BOY TO BE A MAN?
I DON’T KNOW THE BEGINNING
MY DAD WAS A ALL AROUND ABUSER
ABUSER OF WOMEN
ABUSER OF DRUGS
ABUSER OF ALCOHOL
ABUSER MENTALLY TO PEOPLE
COCAINE IS A HELL OF A DRUG
THEN I GREW UP
I BECOME INVOLVED WITH A MAN
THE FATHER OF MY CHILD
AND HERE I AM EXPOSING MY SON TO THE SAME TYPE OF MAN
A MAN THAT ABUSES ME PHYSICALLY AS WELL AS MENTALLY
IS A PUNCH MORE THAN A SLAP?
WOULD YOU RATHER BE CHOKED OR CALLED NAMES?
I DON’T KNOW WHO'S MORE TO BLAME
I USED TO BE IN DENIAL JUST BECAUSE HE NEVER PUNCHED ME
JUST BECAUSE MY EYES HAD NEVER BEEN BLACKENED
BUT I MAINTAINED TO HAVE SCARS LEFT BEHIND ALL OF THE GRABBING AND THE SCRATCHING
ALL OF THE DRAGGING ME ACROSS THE FLOOR
I HONESTLY FELT NUMB
THIS HAS BECOME MY NEW NORM
I BEGAN TO STOP TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT IT
I BEGAN TO EXPECT A FIGHT
I BEGAN TO STOP CARING ABOUT THE REPERCUSSIONS FOR MY ACTIONS
I DIDN’T CARE IF I LIVED OR I DIED
THEN I REALIZED I HAVE A PERSON THAT DEPENDS ON ME
HE DEPENDS ON ME TO DO THINGS
I HAVE A SON TO TEACH
AND I AM A WOMAN FORCED TO RAISE A MAN
AND ALTHOUGH I NEVER HAD ANY GOOD EXAMPLES OF WHAT A REAL MAN IS
ALL I CAN DO IS TEACH HIM WHAT A REAL MAN DOESN’T DO
A REAL MAN DOESN’T HURT THE PEOPLE THAT HE LOVES
A REAL MAN DOESN’T ABUSE ANYONE
A REAL MAN DOESN’T ABUSE SUBSTANCES, BECAUSE HE KNOWS THAT HE NEEDS TO LIVE LONG TO BE THERE FOR HIS FAMILY
A REAL MAN LOVES HARD
HARD ENOUGH TO LET A WOMAN GO IF NEED BE
A REAL MAN DOESN’T MAKE EXCUSES
A REAL MAN DOESN’T LIE
A REAL MAN IS GENTLE AND KIND
I MAY ONLY BE A MOTHER TO SOME
BUT I HAVE A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY
I HAVE TO RAISE MY BOY INTO A MAN
THE BEST THAT I CAN
HE DESERVES A BETTER LIFE
IT’S TIME TO END THE CYCLE
UNTIL THEN
I AM A WOMAN FORCED TO RAISE A MAN
ALL IN A DAYS POET-TEA TIME
Post Comments
Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.
Please
Login
to post a comment
Turn off ads, get more exposure for your poetry, and get more features with a
Premium Membership.
