There is something about a man
who kneels to be on equal ground
to meet a five pound dog
that erases mountains of cultural baggage –
exposing male integrity
as well as a personal capacity to love.
Unconditional Love is the gift she offers him –
The ultimate gift of Hope.
He is the Receiver.
The two are One.
He is a man
who is capable of Love.
Her name is Hope.
She is so anxious
to make him her friend
that she wiggles uncontrollably
her eyes are dark all seeing pools,
her body knows…
She cannot be fooled.
A rough tongue laps his face
when he picks her up
to hold tenderly against his chest.
He is a man
who is capable of Love.
I witness this exchange
choking back tears in my throat
with a sense of wonder.
I experience inexplicable gratitude
towards him.
His name is David.
He is a man
who is capable of Love.
Men like this can break through
the wall
that the inequalities of gender
have erected over millennia.
Barriers that separate humans from each other,
from animals and plants,
from this precious Earth
can be erased in an instant
by compassionate behavior,
opening the door to equality.
Men who have the courage
to be fully human
engender my deepest respect,
even as they become models
for others to emulate.
David is a man
who is capable of Love.
