"Good Men" (poem)

The very idea of Maleness is taking quite a beating these days. Indeed, if one were to listen to the Intersectionality crowd, one would believe that being a straight, white male is the cause of most, if not all, of the world's problems. Whether intellectual insight or ideological insanity, I'll leave to you to decide for yourself. 

But as for me: a straight, white male - I believe it's nonsense. In 50 years and 57 countries, I've yet to be invited to join an Old Boy's Club so that I could advance without having to fight for every inch – and my body is covered with scars as proof of the assertion. Are there horrible guys out there? Of course, just as there are horrible women. White, black, straight, gay? Your demographics don't determine your disposition.  

But most of the guys I've run into are pretty regular Joe's, minding their own business and just trying to get by. The best of them are good friends, husbands and fathers. They are ... Good Men. They tend to err on the side of selflessness, sacrificing their own needs, including their health, to provide for their friends and family. They work hard and, too often, die young.  

This year, with both the Super Bowl and the Olympics compressed into two weeks, the viewing public has been, and will be, saturated with multi-million-dollar commercials celebrating the sacrifice and commitment of mothers. No one I know has a problem with this. But where are the commercials about the Dads?  

So, for all the blokes who've made Being a Good Guy their raison d'etre, this poem's for you.