Meals for Men - Tamanda Kanjaye

Little Boy,

I know you’ve been fed a toxic meal 

Of toughening up and never caring 

Of taking every single blow

Without ever sharing.

You’ve licked lessons from edges of knives 

On what makes a man strong

And you thought they were filling you up 

When they were starving you all along.

But I can see the bile in your throat 

From having to hold your tears back 

I can see your heart and all the blood 

Seeping from every single crack

You’re gagging on all that poison

And you’re afraid nobody understands 

But please come into my embrace

And heave your afflictions in my hands.

---

Tamanda Kanjaye (21st century) Malawi

Source: Makewana's Daughters