Soft stone

Darlin', you don't know

what it is to cover a soft stone heart

a laugh, a sigh to cover

cover the hurt, 

freeze the desire

choke back the tears.

Baby, you don't wanna know

what it's like to have a soft stone heart

and wonder if it shows

wonder where, where

can I go to cry, where

do I go to die.

Practice the face, hold it

so still.

Breath out the love

take in all this rage

the hurt can't make me bleed

my soft stone heart doesn't need.

Pretend you didn't see

Don't cover, don't comfort me

I got a soft stone heart

I won't ever, no no never

I'll never set it free.

Author's Note

I'm pretty sure you have to be guy to understand this at all.

Reviews

[Baby Ricochet]

Loved it! You are the voice of masculine emotion on this site. Standing Ovation

[Mark]

Thank you Mark for the high praise.

[TL Boehm]

We're swapped in this family. My son has a big squishy heart - and I - I am the viking. But broken is broken and pain is pain. Thought this was very articulate and lyrical. Its a beautiful poem

[SHEEMA HUQ]

A clever use of metaphor, and an engaging piece.

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

I don't think you need to be a guy to understand this one...I feel you here. You have to be strong, stoic, carry the burdens of your sex upon your shoulders, and yet you have a "soft stone heart", which in and of itself is a juxtaposition of terms that works very well for this theme. Men are often expected to be the ones to "keep it together", but they have emotions too...well done.

[icelandicblue]

Men have emotions too and they too can be hurt. You depict this well in the poem mark. I like the image of the soft stone heart.

[Mark]

Thanks Ice :) Glad you liked.

[Coyote Poetry]

A powerful poem my friend. I hear the song in the words. I like the flow of thoughts leading to the strong ending. Hard to hide some pain and misery. We learn to live with it. Thank you for sharing the excellent poetry.
Coyote

[Mark]

yes we do learn. Thanks for reading Coyote.

[Mockingbird]

sounds like a man who has been hurt and is vulnerable and does not want to show his feelings. just to maintain an image of being a strong man. but still it seeps through. excellent poem.

[Mark]

thank you so much for reading and your thoughts. I didn't think many women would 'get it' but many of you have. my bad for underestimating the female population!

[Jack...]

Very cool Mark. Yes I know this and know it well. Funny how easily these things can break.

[Mark]

thanks Jack. yes they can. :)

[redflutterby]

Wow Mark...you've touched on something here thats rarely spoken of. The expectations placed upon men to only show "manly" traits. Don't show your hurt...don't cry...don't care just suck it up!! I have three sons and I've struggled to raise them to feel free to express themselves without fear of reprisal. To not hold things in till you feel like you will explode. To understand that being strong is not equated to fists and violence but your integrity. That smiling and a sense of humor are good things. And empathy is not a weakness but necessary for loving healthy relationships.

Excellent work here..;-)

[Mark]

Thanks very much. Your sons are lucky to have you.

[dw817]

⊰ℛℛ⊱
I think it's pretty debatable which side of the coin I fall on - while I can't claim to understand this at a purely masculine level, I do see that it is someone who is tough in life because it is thrust upon them, much as Tonka toys are thrust upon boys and Barbie dolls upon girls.

It may not be his choosing, but it is his destiny, planned by his forebears.

And yes, the soft stone heart is the strength of a man who tries to show the gentle side to his woman, his heart, aged and calloused from a hard life, and sometimes - I think that is not always apparent to her.

[Mark]

Thanks for reading my friend. You are about as open as any man I've ever met. As for Barbies and tonka trucks... I guess that's what I was trying to point out, the social pressures that are still there for both sexes. We just tend to hear more about it with girls than with the boys.

[dw817]

Girls are more open about their emotions. And there is such a thing as women telling men to get in touch with their, "feminine" side. While there is an excellent chance I have long since passed this hurdle, :) it is also likely other men have not even considered it nor will they.

[Mark]

People often believe they want one thing when really they want something else. This is especially true regarding male/female relations.

[dw817]

I was told this one time by Wayne. He said, "David - the only reason you do with me what you do is because - you want it done to yourself."

At the time I was stroking his hair. And yes, it's like electricity when Rose brushes my hair when she visits. So many nerve endings I guess. :)

And what Wayne said gave me pause to think. Is this true with others ? They do something in their lives that they feel is beneficial to them when in fact, deep inside, they desire something else ?

I know when I first met Rose, she had some -strange- ways about her. And at the time I didn't care one way or the other, so long as we were together. Since then my doctor said what she is doing to me is pure abuse, both physical and psychological, whether I choose to read love into it or not. And she was warned by him - to stop - and she has since then ceased, upon warrant for her arrest.

Those days are behind us now. She has left her S&M and B&D and personal disciplines, but I think that is simply because she is not of an age to do them anymore, not so much that she heeded the words of my doctor.

As for me I ask myself, "What is love ?" My Dad loves me. My Mom loves me. I think my sister loves me, although she may never admit it since we were rivals in our youth.

Wayne ? He never hurt me - therefore - I must interpret - that he loved me.