A man must not care about being hurt.
A man must stand in his truth.
And take the meaning of his truth
As ineluctably good.
See me there crucified
There on the rack
There in the pit
With lions on my back.
I care only about that moment
You roused from slumber
And
Seeing me there arrived
Smiled sleepily and glad
Down to your little toes.
And shyly introduced
our child to me
(Some few days inside you)
And I did kiss your belly
And fall into your eyes.
So needful of me,
both.
In my heart, in that moment,
I pledged myself forever
Unto you.
Come the cross,
the rack,
the pit and the beast.
Come the damnation of my soul and all.
Such a moment had a lifetimes worth of joy in it.
And the deepest peace I’ll ever know.
And in that depth foundations built
For all that I must stand.
E’en though you came to dig the pit
And became the beast
Even though you hammered
And screwed.
That moment had more depth than any you or I will ever know
Excepting only
that moment
you renounced it all
Indifferently,
with a sneer,
to my face.