Lmst

#malerolemodel

My effort for #WorldPoetryDay is inspired by recent events/news about #toxicmasculinity, #misogyny & the lack of a good #malerolemodel in too many young lives.

See also #Adolescence on Netflix & #GarethSouthgate's BBC lecture last week. Anyway – I hope you like my #poem #poetry attempt to be a #poet!

A Slip of Mind

I heard it in the pub tonight:
A slip of mind & so of tongue,
Unwelcome sentiment among
Our group of male friendships tight.

Among the group of laddish friends,
Where banter always oils the wheels
A line, if crossed, derails the feels
And harmless fun & ribbing ends.

So was it him? The life & soul –
Our boor who, as so often, led?
I ran it back, all that he’d said,
but humour was his only goal.

So how about this man less large?
The butt, so often, of the jokes?
He holds his own among the blokes;
From him good-natured badinage!

This leaves another in the crowd.
The quiet one who laughs along.
A singer of another’s song,
Who rarely shares his own aloud.

Yes, here's the culprit, now I see.
A few drinks down – for such we are!
In joining in he went too far
And that’s what registered with me.

But not it seems with me alone.
The others also must have heard.
For arms go round to have a word –
A clear correction to the tone.

The boorish one says, quietly:
“Now come on, mate! No need for that.”
And then the other in the chat
Just hugs him with an eye at me:

I say my piece; he nods his head.
The wider group are unaware.
Our friend knows it's because we care
We picked him up on what he said.

And there a corner has been turned,
A small transgression, soon forgot.
Except importantly it’s not,
Because a lesson has been learned.

So, call it out, that slip of mind!
It’s everything to have a laugh –
But walk together down that path
And make sure no man’s left behind.

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