To kill a virus.

[Ben.]

To kill a virus.
Ben Allen Penn Bradly

I have always been lucky.
It's a defining part of who I am.
An eldest son, kicking down doors that were neatly lined up before me.
For my convenience.

I learned to smile and to think.
I learned to listen and to who;
I was taught that you must take responsibility for your actions, because that's what a man does, and if you're really a man then it doesn't matter anyway because you can do whatever you want.

It wasn't my father who told me this, or my mother.
Nobody sat me down and spelled it out. It was just in the air, on sports fields, in classrooms, in the newspaper.
Coexisting with me. As natural as a virus.

I've always had privilege.
It makes me who I am. In a society like this one that makes me sick to my stomach, and so well it should. I shudder to think I ever carried that germ, or rode high on the tide of its fever.

But I can't take it back. Because nobody can.
If anyone could it would be me I am sure. But I can't. And all I have to fight back isn't much.

But I learned how to think and to listen. And that when a man finally takes responsibility for his words and his actions he can do whatever the hell he wants.
Like kill a virus.

[rupertpupkin]

Hi. Strong stuff and quite thought provoking. Great work.

[sparky21737]

This is so true, we are telling kids one thing and yet society is teaching them something different, not by saying it but by choosing to ignore some actions and value others. A well written and very true write, thanks for sharing

Sparky

[ramfire]

Words that I can relate too. Yes. a man can do what he wants but I know I need to think of others when I do something. There are consequences that follow and haunt me through life for my actions and words.

[rupertpupkin]

Visited this before and was so glad of a second read. Super poem. Congrats on the spotlight

[jsol]

i found this ridiculously inspiring. the malleability of perception is enthralling to the point where i daily consider plunging after it headfirst with my hair on fire as if it alone is the only food from which i can derive any nourishment. but then i remember pizza works pretty good too.