Part V · Reclamation
Man Enough
I used to think being a man
meant holding it in.
Carrying weight without shifting it.
Suffering without sound.
Fighting,
even when I didn’t want to.
But now—
manhood looks different.
It’s brushing my son’s hair
without flinching.
Crying during a movie
without shame.
Making pancakes
for no reason.
It’s choosing not to yell,
even when I could—
especially when I could.
It’s knowing I have strength
and not needing to prove it.
It’s apologizing
without losing ground.
Walking away,
when all I’ve ever known
is staying.
I am still a man.
Even with the trauma.
Even with the therapy.
Even with the days I still shake,
and the nights
I still pray for peace.
Maybe more so now
than ever before.