Reflections of My Heart

Hey Everyone! I've been wanting to write this for awhile now. I wanted to bring awareness to the suffering of men throughout history. During my life I have heard sexist comments made by women towards men such as men can't endure pain, we give birth to children, or a woman is more powerful than men. I am here not to minimize what women have gone through, but to point out that men, in different ways, have had it just as equally hard as women and many times throughout history even harder than women and to say that these sexist comments against men need to to stop as men and women are equal before God. This poem is about a young man who is an archetype of what men have suffered through the scars on his body as he looks at his reflection in water and also Reflects back on what he's been through, the wounds on his heart, hence the title. I will obviously not be able to include everything men have endured throughout history, but I will choose some of the main one's. The sufferings of men throughout history include, but are not limited to, slavery, warfare, sexual violence, emotional and psychological violence, poverty, disease, physical violence, forced and child marriage, and religious persecution. I also wanted to point out that the person who suffered the most in history, Jesus Christ, was a MAN not a woman. I would also like to point out that almost 25% of American men will experience contact sexual violence in their lifetime, 43% of men reported being harassed, and 1/3 American men will experience contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime and that 97% of men who experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner reported ONLY FEMALE PERPETRATORS. Finally, to all my brothers out there who have suffered any of this at the hands of women or other men in their life, I wanted to say I am sorry for everything you've been through. You are strong, you are brave, and you will get through this. And please know there are women out there like me who are still on your side. And to all of you reading this God Bless :)

-Innocentia999

The water is crystal clear

Its appearance like that of pure glass

So untainted, so pure and untouched

Unlike me

I see that scar upon my shoulder

the one from when she beat me

I thought she loved me but I haven't received a hug in ten years

I have to hide in shame

Pretend I'm ok

who would listen to a man anyway?

I guess this feeling should be familiar to me

After my mother sold me away

Which became a life of violation

from the master of the house

I wish my mother knew little boys weren't for sale

Yet when poverty and famine hit I guess human dignity no longer exists

I escaped but that brand on my hand will always mark me

I used to believe in God

But I was beaten and thrown into jail

until I finally swore to them that I would never speak of God again

They watch me closely

My family forced me to marry another who did not share my beliefs

To convince them that I had been reformed

These wounds are so deep

They are reflections of my heart

"Yes but they're not who you are" said a voice from beside me

I turned and there stood a man in white who I recognized all too well

"Please depart from me sir, I am full of scars and broken" I turned my face away so he wouldn't see the tears

After all everybody knows men don't cry

The man bent down and said "So am I"

He showed me the holes in his hands and feet

I finally collapsed into his arms, hugging him tightly and letting the tears flow

He held me just as tight

"I was always there my son and I always will be" he patted my head gently

When I stopped sobbing, he stretched out his hand

"Come with me my son to my kingdom. You'll never be alone again."

After a moment I took it

He led me away

These were the reflections of my heart.