Masculinity

“You’re a man”, I thought, and then I let it go.
“You’re so strong, so powerful”, I thought, and then I let it go.
“You’re supposed to act with vigor and virility, you’re a man”, I thought, and then I let it go.
“You’re supposed to lead, and I follow, you’re a man”, I thought, and then I let it go.
“You’re supposed to raise your voice, your hand, you’re a man”, I thought, and then I thought some more.
“Are you supposed to be always right and I wrong”, I thought some more.
“Are you supposed to judge and validate me, make me feel like a woman”, I thought some more.
“Why are you considered first, when from my womb you were born”, I thought some more.
“Why do they turn to you to make decisions even when I’m in control”, I thought some more.
“Why did masculinity become a compliment the world chose to adorn”, I thought some more.

“Because that’s what they know to be true, that’s what their mind tells them.”

The mind for centuries has been made to follow constructs /
It is conditioned and programmed to be educated in norms /
Of the known in the world, made known by the great minds prior /
How then can it challenge these thoughts, these behaviors /
I wonder if the mind thinks it is a man after all these years /

But a woman I am, with a mind of my own /
And I refuse to give it up to the masculine form /
I too have strength, and power, and control /
I too am a leader, and a voice of my own /
A voice I am not afraid to raise with cause /
To speak up and free these minds forlorn /

For masculinity is as much a quality as femininity /
Each mind has both and a use case for each /
The mind needs both to find a balance /
And what we need most is to give the mind this freedom /

Men ought to embrace the femininity in their mind /
And women sure as hell need to ramp up their masculinity /
Both these are just traits, two shades of a kind /
But it all has to start with the quality of your mind //