Poem 9

One:

My love for you is unwavering

Heavy like the weight of the world

That rests upon your shoulders

Lay your struggles at my feet

My love is gentle

And ready to soothe your troubled soul

Two

How often you forget that you too came from the womb of royalty

You treat me less than the Queen you claim me to be

Always surprised when I don’t see the King in you

Three

You have my blessing when you decide to date outside the carefully constructed color lines

The heart knows no color

But it beats truth

Professing that my expectations have steered you into the arms of another woman who you declare

Lets you be a full man

Who am I to stand in the way of that?!

The expectations I have for myself

I have for you too

I’m sorry that I refuse to turn a blind eye to your nonsense

When you decide to find love with the woman who appears to have no voice

Be the man you claim you are

But leave me out of it

Four

No means no

Whether whispered or screamed

Respect it

Five

Stimulating my mind

With your thirst for knowledge

And hunger for something better

Will get you father than you have ever imagined

With my female counterparts

Six

Never knowing what it meant to have a father’s love

Here is my plea

I hope your daughters never have to look for you in the hearts of other men

Seven

Your voice

Thunderous in its approach but soft in its delivery as you whisper sweet nothings in my ear

The smooth ability to string words together

Captivating

Confusing

My attention is what you hold

Eight

Stop telling me that you are a grown man

I am sick of being disappointed when we both realize you are just a boy

Being a man requires no words

Just action

Nine

I did not kill chivalry

It died when men stopped doing it and women stopped demanding it

So in actuality we both laid it to rest

I was told that I needed to let men be men

Stroking their ego every so often

My brothas you want to be respected

And placed on a pedestal with Kings

I can only do so much

When you only do so little

So I will continue to demand excellence

Maybe one day you will do the same

Ten

I have loved you since the beginning of time

My love affair with you is as puzzling as it is beautiful

At times you have left me alone to fight my battles

Not understanding that merely wanting respect isn’t a luxury

It is a human right

By your side is where I will stay

Whether you like it or not

This journey cannot be walked alone

Supporting you every step of the way

Finding solace where our hearts lay

Together

My borthas I will always love you