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"hang on to your spirit"

by Sawyer Monet

Hang on to your spirit,

Is your spirit hanging on to you? 

Are you in your body, 

Or are you just avoiding the feeling of melancholy? Do you drink to escape 

Or do you drink for an escapade, 

To give you courage to take the ring 

So you don't cry at the wedding when your mother sings.

Maybe the drink doesn't give you freedom– 

But takes you out of having too much fun. Are you afraid? Feel. 

Because you might hang yourself at the meal 

The whispers say men can have feelings, 

Otherwise they’ll start peeling. 

You must provide 

You must coincide 

There's no place for therapy in a man's life 

You must already be wise 

Just have another beer and the pressure won’t creep in at night. Have you been hurt before? 

Been told to be more of a bore? 

Don’t jump in the deep waves says your brain 

From heavy emotions you must refrain– 

Men don’t feel pain. 

You must stay calm—even in the rain 

Maybe this marriage isn't your first, 

With the last one she took away your worth– 

Cheated on from birth. 

Watching your mom sit at home and cry, 

While your father says it's just a beer 

Son, have a try.

Father said never love too hard. 

As he dug mother’s grave in your yard 

He taught you not to care– 

Drink more, 

you'll transcend until you're not here anymore 

Give just enough to trap her in 

But never enough to mourn the sin, 

Never enough to actually care at all 

Otherwise you’ll disappoint everyone when you bawl. 

You think your wife may not even care when 

She asks for empathy that’s not even there, 

But society says suppress 

Always say yes. 

If you're not married by 24 you're not a success.

As she asks for your opinion of her dress 

But never asks you about the societal pressures that give you distress.

Yes dear you say anything you want.

I'll just have another beer out by the front 

It will help you hang on to your spirit they say, 

As you begin to drift into the display 

Scrolling to numb your dismay, 

Another screen, another queen. 

Doesn't matter if you're not really in the scene. 

Life may change up and down 

But if you have another beer you'll never frown! 

Life as you know may try to get you in the game 

But you’ll never feel its change if you’re deranged 

Disassociating from the pain. 

Because it’s okay if you trap yourself from feeling– 

Just refrain and live life on the mellow plane

 

Instead of deep in the waves that seem unsafe, 

Another marriage, what's the change 

A beer every night that will keep me from feeling. 

With means, I’m sane. 

Society says I can’t show pain, 

So another beer and I’ll disdain. 

Do you analyze what everyone shouts?

Not anymore. A beer will keep my spirit safe– 

Safe and hidden without a trace.

This beer can make you sing, 

A forgetful high gone the next day. 

Now she’s got a ring,  

Don’t worry if it’s good or bad. 

With another beer I’ll be glad 

Glad enough to pass the night, 

Not glad enough to have a fight! 

Hang on to your spirit 

Mellowing life through substance’s knife 

Hang the noose 

Please you wife 

Plug your emotions 

You’re supposed to be the strong one, right? 

But in secret you squeeze the knife 

Everything will be fine 

Drip drip drip 

Just another sip 

Enough to get you through the trip

No emotions no opinions 

Just another beer 

Don’t worry, no fear I’ll be fine my dear…

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Sawyer Monet is a twenty-year-old poet and writer. He grew up in Boulder, Colorado, and now studies at Chapman University. His interests in school are business economics and creative writing. He hopes to graduate and work for a non-profit organization connecting children with creative therapies. His passions include hiking, backpacking, and service work. He hopes to open a conversation for men struggling with unspoken emotions and societal pressures. His work will be published in Driftwood Press Literary Magazine in March 2023.

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