Tears, blood, *****, sweat;

These are the waters of a man.

Muscle and sinew, **** and bone;

These are the solid earth of a man.


Seeing, hearing, touching, thinking;

(thinking, thinking, thinking, thinking…)

These are the shifting winds of a man.

But wither spirit? Where is fire?


Lost in the hum of electrical ether?

Warped and worn on the grindstone of work?

Slipping through films of ****** desire?

Fading in a fog of drunken forgetfulness?

Sunk deep into cold unfeeling depths?

Shrunk to the size of a tiny, selfish, wrinkled pea?


All of these.

All of these.



But quick, look to your left—

See it; seize it.

Name it. Claim it.

Invite it back into the circle.

It’s yours, it’s here; it’s never left.

Stand with your brothers and call it back.

Drumming, chanting, singing, laughing.

Gather it around you and don it proudly.

Button it up like a brand new suit—

Looking good, man!


Feeling… better.


Tears, blood, *****, sweat

Muscle and sinew, **** and bone

These are merely the parts of a man.

Dignity, Clarity, Integrity and Strength

These are truly the marks of a man.

Empathy, Respect, Pride and Love

(And Love!)

These reside in the heart of a man

A conscious man

The spirit of a true man.