The Stranger

A test of manhood.

A stranger came to me.

What beast are you? said he.

 

No beast. A man I be.

No more, no less, said I.

 

You a man? I think not.

A bear, a dog perhaps?

 

            Stranger, have you no eyes?

            Two legs have I. Two arms.

            No fur. No claw. No tail.

            It is a man you see.

 

            Then do what men must do.

            To prove a man you be.

 

            And what is that I pray?

 

            Think and dream. Dare to be

            More than you’re meant to be.

            I’ll wait and watch and see.

 

            With crossed arms and raised brow

            A look of doubt he cast.

           

            I thought and thought and thought.

            I did not understand

            How to be more than me.

            Anger grew hot inside.

           

I am a man! I cried,

            And struck him down.

            It was a mighty blow,

            A deadly blow I fear.

 

            Before he closed his eyes

            He looked at me and said,

            Ah, yes. I see it now.

A man you be indeed.

 

© 2016 Stanley R. Teater

    All rights reserved

Reviews

[Shy Joe]

I love your writing style. In the seventh stanza you add an extra "and" in the last line and it works! This is a great piece. Thanks for sharing.

[flaco]

Very nice poem .
Flows nicely,

[Satoshi IroTzu]

Respect, Stanley R.

This poem has a natural flow, it just unfolds. Lovely story, lovely rhyming.

This poem should be read then "explained" to children and teenagers . I`d explain them that the one should know one-self or else the one is a target who will be drown in other man/woman/group schemes.

[wordman]

pure tao,you should have shaken his hand

[Valentine]

Test of manhood? Perhaps a test of the evilness that lurks in some people. Different approach to an old concept. Kudos. Valentine

[Coyote Poetry]

I liked the ending. The wisdom was true. Men kill without need for food or protection. Just know violence. Nice flow of thoughts led to honest ending. Thank you Stanley for sharing the excellent poetry.
Coyote

[M. Hassen]

At first I was put off by the sentence construction, but once I understood it as evoking Yoda, it totally felt right. Nice concept.

[Stanley R. Teater]

If it was evoking Yoda, I'm afraid it was totally by accident. Sometimes the constraints of keeping closely to six-syllable lines affect sentence structure and word choice.

[M. Hassen]

Haha, you aren't supposed to admit that!