Listen O’ mothers listen O’ sisters br Listen the spirit of reason is in me br And I tell of the hurt that should never be. br br Violence, you cry out violence br Oppression you today name it br Abuse, that is your parade word br Yet you forget whence this all came br Yes, you ignore the mold whence this was cast. br br Look at that young old man, br Sitting there like a cornered rat br Eyes darting hither and thither flashing with fear br Confusion and humiliation written all over his face br The little boy inside him begging for understanding br Yes, the little boy that was never allowed to be. br br From the womb he was already called a man br From the day he was born, word got around br ‘A man has come into the family’ br He was nurtured with the word man from his mother’s breasts br He was saddled with manly jobs from his childhood br Through winter, spring, summer and fall br He was sent out there to be a man. br br He grew up in a world of violence br Where oppression is the rule and abuse is the policy br And all that was said to be a man’s world br No mother ever taught him how men should act br No woman ever cared for the boy inside br He was always told, men don’t cry br Go out there and be a man. br When his father died he was told, ‘You are now man of the family’ br And the poor boy was gone.