Let us be Men who Love

Man carrying woman cradling baby. Hurricane Harvey, August 2017. Credit David J. Phillip/AP

Totally inspired by Idelette McVicker’s “Manifesto: Let us be Women who Love” – I give her credit, and hope my imitation honours her, and energizes both Women and Men:

Written by R.H. Foerger based on Idellete McVicker’s poem:

 

Let us be men who Love.  

Let us be men willing to lay down our harsh words, our hard looks, our ignorant silence and towering stance, and fill the earth now with extravagant Love.

Let us be men who Love.

Let us be men who make room.

Let us be men who open our arms and invite others into an honest, spacious, protective embrace.

 

Let us be men who carry each other.

Let us be men who give from what we have.

Let us be men who leap to do the difficult things, the unexpected things and the necessary things.

Let us be men who live and die for Peace.

Let us be men to hold up our brothers and bring them along.

Let us be men who Love.

 

Let us be a sanctuary where God may dwell.

Let us be a resting place for wounded souls.

Let us be a table where others may feast on the goodness of God.

Let us be a fortress for human flourishing.

Let us be men who Love.

 

Let us rise to the questions of our time.

Let us speak to the injustices in our world.

Let us move the mountains of fear and intimidation.

Let us tear down the walls that separate and divide.

Let us fill the earth with the aroma of honour.

Let us be men who Love.

 

Let us listen for those who have been silenced.

Let us honour those who have been devalued.

Let us say, Enough! with abuse, abandonment, diminishing and hiding.

Let us be men who build up our wives, our sisters, our daughters.

Let us be relentless until every person has discovered the mystery of their worth.

Let us be men who Love.

 

Let us be men who are savvy as serpents and gentle as doves.

Let us be men who shine with the light of God in us.

Let us be men who take courage and give encouragement.

Let us be men who say, Yes to the engaging, unique purpose seeded in our souls.

Let us be men who call out the vision in another’s heart.

Let us be men who teach our children to do the same.

Let us be men who Love.

 

Let us be men who Love, in spite of fear.

Let us be men who Love, in spite of our wounded sagas.

Let us be men who Love loudly, joyfully, mightily.

Let us be whole-hearted brothers, fathers, husbands.

Let us be men who Love.

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This poem is in homage to Idellete McVicker’s poem “Manifesto: Let us be Women who Love“. Idelette is founding editor of shelovesmagazine.com.  Her bio reads: “She’s a bit intense, granted, but she’s getting to be really okay with it. She was born and raised in South Africa which shaped her longing for justice and freedom for everyone and a deep, deep love for Africa. She also worked in Taipei as journalist and discovered that Heaven might look like lingering over oohlong tea in the mountains of Chiufen. She moved to Vancouver, Canada a month before the millennium turned. She is married to Scott, has three young children and loves Sisterhood. She blogs at idelette.com and tweets @idelette.”