“Get Over It” by Marcel Herms who states the Dutch translates as “we were strong men”.

Reflections of a Man on International Woman’s Day”
(Raanana, March 8, 2016)

On this auspicious day of celebration
Of the International woman
I can’t help but wonder
What it’d be like to be said woman.
If I were a woman
Would I wonder what it’s like
To be a man?
Would I be best advised
To tap into my masculine side?
And if so
Knowing the answers to these questions
As I do
Would I stop wondering
Or keep on endlessly?

(c) Mike Stone 2016
from his third book of poetry, “Bemused”

I’m Man Enough

18 in 1980 week afore starting uni,
lads night out and your dressed
in Burton’s bright yellow like a canary,
socks, shoes, shirt, jacket, because it’s cool.

Lads boast they down 11/12 pints
of John Smiths bitter a night,
shag a lass then do same next night.
You’ve never done neither.

Follow lads round like fresh meat,
loud and brash, they talk of shagging
bints, fast cars, live bands you’ve
never seen coddled by your mam and dad.

Four pints in and your eyelids droop,
bitter makes you fall asleep, lasses
in short skirts with intentions nuzzle
up but loud music means you can’t listen

to what they’re saying and wouldn’t know
what to say. Lads jostle you. “We’re off
to neet club. A tha cumming?”. I shout
an apology. “Got to be in by 11.”

They get off. I leave the pub, buy
a pizza and pissed walk home uphill
chomping on greasy slices, cardboard
box too big, one side of road to another.

-Paul Brookes