Analysis of MEN DON'T CRY
Onyi Okadike 1972 (Abakiliki)
Beyond the facade of steel
Of strength foretold
The confidence of daylight in its glory
In splendour radiates
In the face of the broad smiles
The rays of sunlight a promise
Gloom of storm a distant threat
In his presence peace we find
But inside he bleeds
Tempest of the seas made flesh
Of raging storms and wild battles
The battle of the brave
The war within, he must hide
The battles scars, in silence he bears
A man should not cry, they say
Gnashing of teeth to the rescue
Oh man, thou shalt not abide in tears
Lest, your mortal subjects flounder in fear
For in steel thou art borne
In pain, thou redeemed
Scheme | XXXX XXXX XXXX XAXX AXXX |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 0100111 1101 0100110110 0110 0011011 0111010 1110101 0110111 10111 1010111 11010110 010101 0101111 010101011 0111111 10111010 111110101 1110101001 101111 01101 |
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 624 |
Words | 131 |
Sentences | 1 |
Stanzas | 5 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 |
Lines Amount | 20 |
Letters per line (avg) | 24 |
Words per line (avg) | 6 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 98 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 23 |
About this poem
In most African societies, men are not expected to show outward signs of grief nor cry. They are expected to suck it up and show manliness and leadership, lest they worsen the pain of women and children. But a man is made up of flesh and blood. He feels pain and heartbreak just like every other being. In his attempt to conform to social expectations, he builds a wall of steel around his heart which ultimately does not augur well for anyone.
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Written on July 29, 2022
Submitted by Onyiokadike on July 29, 2022
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 39 sec read
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