Men are taught to colonize
at the age of 5 through
games like cops and robbers
cowboys and indians
at the age of 8
we are given helmets
and told to hit each other on the head with it
bleed but do not bleed
cut but do not cry
be a man, join the military
die for your country
and if death comes to you
look it in the eye and say:
bring it on, mother-fucker, I fear nothing

but intimacy.

When it comes to intimacy
men quiver like fault lines
crumble like cities.

What walking contradictions are we called men.