What's A Man To Do? Poem by Michael Pruchnicki

My old man taught me all about being a man-

'Play ball with the other boys! Get out of the house!
What are you, a sissy? Put the books away, girl! '

I put the books away in the basement, far from his
eyes, in an old tool cabinet behind the furnace.
I wanted to grow up to be a man he could be proud of!

He entered me as a novice in the local boxing club.

'Put your dukes up! Keep moving, you dimwit! '

I moved in to close with my opponent, Mike Burns,
a big kid from Visitation School down the block.
He hammered me with lefts and rights to the head
and worked on me until spit and blood flew-
I hit the canvas and curled like a bloody fetus
praying for deliverance! I heard my old man yelling
at me to get up and fight like a man!

I saw stars and a way out! Play possum and live
to fight another day - on my terms!

I left home a month or so later to seek manhood
in another and better place!