I’ve always been punished
for wanting more than 
they told me I deserved
by those that saw me
as my father
and his father
believed that I would make
the same mistakes
because I’m a man
and men didn’t have emotion
couldn’t love like women
set up to disappoint those
who believed themselves
righteous 

and to those
that see me 
that way
take a moment
and look
in
a fucking
mirror