I pocket my masculinity like a charm
That I may consider wearing if it wasn’t fraught with
Problems I constantly see in the mirror and all around me
It’s not that there’s anything wrong with the charm itself
It’s just that I’ve been told that I don’t wear it correctly
And that such a fragile, dainty thing should not represent
What should be my most defining trait
I’ll admit sometimes I wish it were more durable
Maybe made out of brushed stainless steel with a
Hook on the end that could double as a bottle opener
But this is what’s been given to me. Sometimes it
Doesn’t even feel like it’s really mine. The way you
Inherit your father’s green eyes and uncle’s bald spot
Handed to me possessing more power than it
Deserves. A shadow looming taller than it should
Due to the position of the sun, a broken
Image seen through a glass darkly
I guess it’s mine enough to use as I will
For better or for worse. So, I’ll continue to
Pocket it like a charm, maybe wear it on occasion
With the knowledge that it’s a fragile, fickle, sometimes
Monstrous thing but that it doesn’t control or define me
Hopeful that if I wear it sparing and honest enough
Others may see that they can do the same
Adrian McQueen Parrish 