The Things That Boys Do Poem by Val Brooklyn Rogers

Boys. Do boys break toys?
Knick knack patty wack. Give a dog a bone.
Some say the things that boys do are wrong
And even more wrong, still

Pushing GO carts up a steep steep hill. Wrestling
Down steps and falling. Breaking bones, being
Home alone. Fire crackers one two three. Stop
Spitting on me.
REPEAT REPEAT REPEAT

Boys even when they're right, they're wrong.
Boys are STRONG. They are triumphant on mix
Marital arts and wrestling night. They need a place
Here in society. They need their own show and
Tell month. What week? What's a week?

Fighting through one trillion trillion jeers. Not
Wanting to show their FEARS.
THE MEDIA COMES THE QUICKER

FEARING vulnerability boys are nothing but the brunt of
Solid steel with diamond spikes. Many boys are MELLOW
But spell WE DO RAISE HELL. Some might think boys
Do things for SPITE. Such as STAYING ALIVE OR FLYING A
KITE. BOYS, but when dark is night stay INSIDE.

At DIFFICULT times they fight even when they're right.
THINKING they are strong. MAYBE they are wrong?
Wrestling tearing fisting clenching cursing spitting
STOMPING reaching for his own fate. SUFFERING
ALIENATION AND HATE. What he wants he gets one way
(sparing no grace) or another. All in all in all.
Some boys walk a CHALK LINE and are fine.

In the light of the life of things this is how it is.
Boys ARE STRONG. They go long.
THE MEDIA. THE CONDEMNATION. THE VILIFICATION:
Boys are bursting through malls, tearing down walls,
Shooting guns on the run.

Nothing but boys will be boys. Nothing is truth until
It is seen through the eye of a boy keen.
Gangs, tussles, physical rebuttals.
There, those tails wagging of puppy dogs.

Yeah BOY! You got SWAGGER, you got SWAY. Football
Gear and baseball cards. Yeah, all HARD.
Make way for shooting hoops, hanging on stoops.

Traces of MANHOOD TO DATE. Been never a man who
Hasn't been a boy. ENJOY! ! GOOD FATE! !