"Nice guys finish last," the song goes, a reflection of our culture, I suppose,

Because just like girls must be beautiful and thin, boys now have to be tough to be men.

"Tough" enough to never be too kind,

"Tough" enough to need no one, even in a bind,

"Tough" enough to put a strong body over a strong mind,

And most of all, "tough" enough to leave feelings behind walls, where no one will find.

 

Lies.

 

My man will be tough.

He will be STRONG enough to do what's right,

He will be CONFIDENT enough to negotiate instead of physically fight,

He will be FIERCE in defending the defenseless, helping them in their plight,

He will be POWERFUL enough to shine brightly; even in the darkest places, he will be a light.

He will be KEEN, but willing to admit when he's wrong, and occassionally use words like "I think" "maybe" and "might."

He will be PASSIONATE for what he cares about, and as we grow old, will take me out like we are still kids from night to night.

He will be SECURE enough to be vulnerable, and kind gestures will be his delight.

 

The culture is correct in saying a man should be tough, but its definition of tough isn't correct, not quite.

 

My man will be a prince,

And I know such men exist,

For my father has shown me all my life that a true man doesn't try to fit some culture's "list"

He has shown me that a gentleman sacrifices himself for those his loves and knows that this life is but a mist,

And so sets out to change the world by changing lives and by fully living his.