What A Man Should Know Poem by David Welch

A man should first know his own strength,
what it is he can and cannot do,
our physical power is no small thing,
use it wrong and you'll be truly screwed,
they'll take everything away from you.
But on the right job, or in self-defense
it's a boon that can make all the difference.

A man should know that he has to work,
that without it there's no dignity,
that hand-outs just put you on a leash,
make you someone else's property,
for them to move around endlessly.
To truly be free, you'll have to labor,
earn the respect of yourself and your neighbor.

Man should know of his nation's past,
what it cost to get where we are now,
the good and the bad, and who sacrificed
to give us the life freedom allows,
not all folks with this chance are endowed.
It is our duty to see it live on,
to not do so would leave our children wronged.

A man should know to carry a knife,
and to own and use a firearm,
to know the when and why of such things,
in defense only should he cause harm,
or if hunting food down on the farm.
But trusting to fate will leave a man dead,
you must have the tools to hand evil its head.

A man should know how to spend his money,
how to plan ahead and make a budget,
and to put aside for the unforeseen,
it always hits when your least expect it,
and a killer lies within large debts.
It's not just cash, it's hours of your life,
things are easier when you spend it right.

A man should know that human nature
is something that's never going to change,
and all who think they'll ‘remake' the world
as either childish, evil, or insane,
their ideas end in nothing but pain.
Treat people as the mixed batch they are,
at least then you'll have the chance to go far.

A man should know that women are built
different not just in body, but in mind.
Each sex will have its natural strengths,
and we play to them all the time.
Given our aggression men will find
use in restraints from old chivalry,
no matter the protests of the feminazis.

A man should know how to be sincere,
to be honest in his life and his work,
to hold close to a firm code of honor
so as not to devolve into a jerk,
but to still remember how to hurt,
because if you can't, if you have no backbone,
then you can forget a life that's your own.