The Thaw of Man
When the frost of the land becomes still
The sad emotions stay stagnant
The harshness of the mistake becomes evident
As the world seems to crumble
The man shows little emotion
And the same will happen tomorrow
For the man will never learn
Owning it
Masculinity is being loyal to one another
Masculinity is talking openly to one another
Masculinity is not judging people straight away
Masculinity is joking around with each other
Masculinity is talking seriously to one another
Masculinity doesn’t have to be a bad thing
Same Brush
Being a man is hard as women make us all out to be the same misogynistic people.
All the lads think that everyone should be emotionally closed off and unable to show they’re vulnerability.
Morning Man
Wake up late, hair a state
call it style, but nah we’re late
shirts half tucked, socks don’t pair
still think we’ve got that flair
talk big talk, I could’ve gone pro
if not for that need years ago
we act all chill but deep within
we still learning the ropes of being men
Battle
Being a man is never easy
Trying to fit into social norms
Everyone wants to be the same
Men being stereotyped
Told they are misogynistic
Forced to believe it
but behind it all
They just want to be understood
WHo We Are
I’m not the kind of man to slag you for something you can’t control
I’m not the kind of man to hit you when you down
I’m the kind of man to help you when you need it
I’m the kind of man to stand up for you when no one else will
I’m the kind of man to talk to you on the first day of school if you’re new
The Many Definitions
masculinity is being open to show yourself
masculinity is toxic
masculinity is being proud
masculinity is being ashamed
masculinity is being strong
masculinity is being weak
masculinity kills
masculinity makes you feel alive
masculinity puts you down
masculinity is definitive
masculinity is who you are
Born and Free
I am a man born and free
Down on a knee
Be like a ski with the flee of glee
But no one see the bee sting that’s on the east wing
Friends and foe tell me “yo!”
I sit here thinking “oh no”
I see how people sell with glee the sea sells
The Evolution of Man
Men, Men, Men, our toxic image carven,
We strive for perfection
but only find criminalisation.
We hurt women daily,
and cause them just pain mainly,
we need to look inside ourselves and see
these women have their story,
are mothers, sisters and daughters too
More than Toxic
Masculinity is more than a catcall on the street
Masculinity is more than winning a fight
Masculinity is realising that every woman you see is a mother a sister a niece or an aunt
Masculinity doesn’t mean lifting weights in a gym
but how you treat others when they show they’re in need.
Masculinity is a word used to cover sexism racism all over our feed
but it really means helping others when they call in need.
Growing
I’m fifteen now, still trying
To grow up for my immature
Young self the thought of growing
Up is intimidating but it has to happen
It is scary but has to happen the weight
Of being a man is terrifying but has to
Happen.
A Man
I am a man, as simple as can be,
There is no set definition for what a man can be,
A man can love, can feel and can be scared,
A man can be himself around those he knows care,
A man will not be shamed for being himself,
And a man doesn’t make fun of those who need help,
A man doesn’t feel threatened by those who are different,
And can learn a new lesson from everyone he meets
Sixteen on Sidney Hill
Sixteen in cork, where the sun barely shines,
Late nights with the Boiz, always a surprise,
Rugby on Saturdays, the highs and the lows,
Dreams of a win and the crowd to roar,
Fish and chips from the local van,
Engines purring, like an earthquake for man,
School so wrong and weekends not long,
Life simple and clear for a sixteen-year-old boy on Sidney hill.
The Depth of Men
Men aren’t born but discovered,
Grown by surroundings and others,
Challenges and hardships we face,
Yet it goes untold to another,
But men are loyal and true,
And will never switch up on you,
So don’t judge or make an opinion,
And you will be one of few.
See Red
We are more than just evil, abusive men,
We don’t drink blood, we don’t only see red
Just give us a chance, we won’t fail
We probably won’t hit you, we weren’t in jail
Just because were bigger, stronger or both
Doesn’t mean there has to be a moat
Just because the last guy hit your head
Doesn’t mean we will, we don’t all see red.
Doodle
Mixing colours in my head,
Yellow and blue won’t make red,
I can’t write, I draw instead,
My rooms messier than my shed.
I doodle throughout maths class,
I tap my fingers during mass,
I dream during tests and pass,
My heads a mess, a field of grass.
To Be a Man
To be a man is more than what you think
it is more than the outside look
or ability to read a book
it doesn’t need to be what you have to be
rather what you choose to be
It’s knowing when to build a wall
and when to let it fall
to stand up for those who have no voice, but listen most of all
to live and breathe this foreign air
and live for those who choose to care
The Sunflower
They called the sunflower small,
Surely it could never be tall?
Why even give it a chance?
That’s a horrible stance.
Just give it time and maybe it will shine,
Higher than the rest.
What Makes this Man
l am a man because l go to the gym.
l am a man because my favourite Food is Steak
l am a man because I like the taste of beer.
l am a man because I love hiking
l am a man because I love spending time in nature
l am a man because l love my home countries.
I am a man because my family is my priority
l am a man because I have a certain modesty and honestly
my biggest dream is a big house and a big loving family.
Poem
A poem is on the agenda,
deep down I want it to be profound,
but at the same time pseudo-vulnerable.
I know that these cannot co-exist.
I’ve always admired poems – for their multifaceted nature.
I know I’m not articulate enough
Formulae
The man I am is not defined by a formula tables book
It is defined by a new formula made by me
To enjoy the things I like
And be respectful, generous, and kind.
Live Life
Being this young can be great fun
But being your true self is better
I’ve come to think from this class
That you shouldn’t try to be somebody you’re not
As the best version of yourself is you
You should respect others how they should be treated
But most importantly enjoy life
You only live once
School
In the school halls to the rugby balls
Or when the lunch bell calls
And when the metal flask falls
It’s all about the most powerful man who has the best mating calls
Or the girls who can have the boys fall
Or some who are afraid to call a place home
School can be a place for all
Locker Room
From the rugby club
To a dark old pub
In the gym hitting curls
Just hoping to catch girls
Decide between getting grades
Or getting paid
After all that’s the aim of it all.
Short
We laugh too loud,
we dream so wide,
the world feels big,
we’re just outside.
Rat Race
All they do is talk about grades
Distinctions and H1s, the lot
Or else it’s sports and trophy parades,
All about scoring the winning shot.
Where is the talk about our health,
How we are feeling in our core.
What we feel is our wealth,
And needs to be talked about more
Cork
Cork by daytime
makes a great rhyme
but Cork by night
would give you a fright
all the bais think they run the place
trying to mind your own business would get you stabbed with no trace
in this city no one has any individuality
in my opinion it’s brutality…
If Love
If love will do
What I do too
Then let just this be known;
Love will get
Some ice cream
And forget
About it.
Still sleeping in school
Mixing colours inside my head,
Yellow and blue mixed to make red.
Feeling sleepy. “I’m fine!”, I said,
I grow fields of dreams in my bed.
Eyes closing, then jerking awake,
Like a coke can, after a shake.
Dreams in class, my presence was fake,
Still, I’m stuck, in my fields and lakes.
Stay Quiet
When I speak, I’m too annoying,
When I don’t, I’m too shy.
Always too much or never enough,
Nothing I do is right.
People tell you to be yourself
But nobody actually wants that.
They want you to fit in, to act like everyone else,
Love.
Those who go looking force it
Those who don’t find it
Those who fear it, lose it.
And those who give it freely
carry it forever.
Untitled
I like being a man because of boozer
I don’t think boozer will choose her
Conrad feens over any Twomey
him and Amy go Amy boomy
Lennie goes operator and ruins the world
I think he should be banned