Beauty and Danger

There is a beautiful light, the light that comes before the rain, this morning. Here's Lucas Jones' poem, "I Will Teach My Boys to be Dangerous Men". A good poem for a rainy Sunday.

I will teach my boys to be dangerous men,

To pick white flowers for all of their friends,

and to think of patience when they think of strength.

I will teach my boys to be dangerous men.

If a sister cries you'll cry with them,

and I'll teach them to stop before they descend

too deep in their pain,

for those who depend on us to feel safe,

to keep them all warm.

And when you feel the cold you knock on the door

and hope someone like you is there keeping watch,

to tap you out and make your bed,

then sharpen your sword and kiss your head

And die as a man who knows what it meant

to be remembered for love and the kindness he spent.

I will teach my boys to be dangerous men

in a world where danger is simply the norm.

The dangerous thing is not to conform.

The dangerous thing is not to watch porn.

Not to base love on a paid performance, 

But in the soft silence of three in the morning

where their love is safe,

sleeping,

just bringing them water.

To know that it's not in the wars that you wage,

But you're choosing love despite all the rage.

I will teach my boys to be dangerous men,

And not be naive enough to pretend

that they won't have to fight for the ones they defend.

But if you must fight;

fight to never again.

I will teach my boys to be light when they can,

and know in the darkness to reach for my hand.

 I will teach my boys to be dangerous men,

so the danger for all of us finally ends.