supersatellite:

I think there is more
to being a man
than having worldly
thoughts

Being a man
takes honesty —
honesty with others
honesty with yourself

Being a man
is having thick skin
to pointed words —
knowing what to take in
and what
to brush off

Being a man
is loving hard
and listening
to every thump
that drums
impatiently
in her chest

Being a man
is turning down
the sheets
before you take her
between them

Becoming a man
is being offered
the world
on a silver platter
and learning
to say
no thank you