What Makes A Man

On so many levels,
there are untold numbers of systems
that confine and cajole the spirit of mankind
into distanced, fearful, hateful little boxes
that neither lift us up out of the darkness
nor remind us of the cosmic kindred spark
that lies within us all..
When viewed through the looking glass
we find the unobscured truth
of bias, belittling, bashing, and bloodletting
that often accompanies
the ignorant and inhumane face of oppression.

Toward those who seek
to be seen, heard, and counted
among the throws of humanity... often
we have placed a hierarchical condemnation.
Toward those most in need
of our empathy & compassion,
and even our respect,
society has only the most
rudimentary and unholy of disdain.
From the laws we make
to the bones we break...
there is little respect for the
equivalence of all mankind. Still.




When MLK walked among the men of color,
who happened to be collecting the garbage of Memphis...
what struck me most interesting
was the sign around all of their necks.
Neither a condemnation of the government,
nor their bosses, which allowed such shameful
working conditions to be the status quo,
nor was the message one demanding loudly any number of demands which could be had...

The message was simply this:
"I AM A MAN"

In this new series, i try to explore
this issue of what makes a man;
using what i believe are
the modern-day downtrodden men whom
society today has trapped into
the belief that somehow,
they are less than men.
When finished there will be 5-10 figures that represent
different views of a man,
cursed though he may be,
wearing the same sign,
"I AM A MAN"
to remind us once again whom it is we are looking at.