CHINA TORI

Never forget, son, that you are a man; the man.

You don’t pay ‘petty’ with ‘petty’
or give ‘dramatic’ to ‘dramatic’.
No, that’s not how masculinity is spelt.

You have a responsibility
to be the bigger person;
the one who stands in the gap
when things become tough.

You are one who breaks the wall
and makes physical contact;
the one who draws his woman into a hug,
looks her in the eye,
validates her grievance,
and reassures her.

It is you, and no one else,
who apologises – even when you
have done nothing wrong.
I mean, it is only “sorry.”
But you have to say it and mean it.

You clear the air as many times as needed
and strive to keep the air clean.

It is you.
You have the responsibility of ensuring
that resentment does not trickle in.
Not on your watch, Bryan.

And, all the above?
That’s the easy part.
The opposite is an endless dark pit
riddled with sharp stones and thorns.
No peace. No joy.
There, your ego grows
while your sanity shrinks.

Image: Alexander Grey