Men Cry Too
By MZ
Growing up I was taught to be tough, that boys don’t cry
Showing emotions meant that you was weak.
So I went through life with my feelings absent,
only absorbing pain on this rough journey.
Now that I am grown, showing my vulnerability is nourishment for my soul.
For me it is healthy to express my feelings and I just want you to know
Men cry too.
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The poets featured here are currently incarcerated, and many of them are in federal prisons far from home. Your feedback is a valuable source of motivation and connection to the outside community. Please keep your comments encouraging; we recommend focusing on how the poem makes you think, feel, or reflect. Post your comments, feedback, and encouragement in the space below the poem. Messages will be passed on directly to the author. Comments may not appear immediately on the site, as our team processes them to mail to the poets.
MZ-what a beautiful poem! You tell a whole story of growth and learning with just a few lines. Keep sharing your gift of writing!
MZ this is a very powerful poem. As man, it is all too relatable in how we are conditioned to feel towards the world. Capturing the vulnerability to show a wider spectrum of emotion is inspiring and what is needed. I hope you continue to write and explore these feelings.
Being in spaces where you are allowed to show your true feelings and emotions is so important. I also grew up in a space where expressing how I felt wasn’t always welcomed but now I try to surround myself with people who let me do that. Suppressing ones emotions can cause other problems to develop. Sometimes crying is all a person needs to do before they are able to process a situation so it is good to let those feeling from your heart flow down your face! Thank you for sharing!
I LOVE the message being portrayed here.
This poem makes a lot of sense. Growing up you are constantly told that boys don’t cry but over time you come to realize that it is healthy to express your emotions.
This poem is deeply moving and powerful. It challenges the stigma around masculinity and vulnerability, beautifully highlighting the strength in expressing emotions. Your words resonate with the truth that showing feelings is not a weakness but a powerful act of healing. A heartfelt and inspiring message!
That was impactful and necessary! Being told to repress feelings ultimately fosters a community of toxic masculinity.
Thank you for this poem! I think the topic discussed in this poem is not something that is talked about or explored much anymore so it is important to allow everyone to express their emotions, no matter their method. It shows men that it is okay to cry and they are not alone.
MZ, I can feel the emotions through this piece. I love how it validates fair emotions. I send my best encouragement and a job well done.
MZ, you are truly an inspiration and amazing at expressing yourself through poetry. Keep doing what you do, as it is importantly what you put out into this world.
This poem reflects a powerful journey from repression to acceptance, highlighting the importance of expressing emotions. The message that vulnerability is a strength rather than a weakness resonates deeply, making it clear that it’s vital for everyone, including men, to embrace their feelings.
This is a lesson in life that far too many people are not taught. Men can cry and express their feelings emotions and it doesn’t make them weaker but it makes them stronger.
This poetry defies prejudices and promotes vulnerability by deftly examining the depth of men’s emotions. Its open depiction encourages empathy and understanding by serving as a gentle reminder that emotions are universal and wonderfully human.
This poem would be a very powerful read for any man or teenage boy in becoming a man. You were able to learn that regardless of what you’ve been told and whatever views someone may have of a man being able to show emotions such as crying is a huge strength. Learning that your soul needs to process emotion and to cry is a huge step. You don’t want to be seen as “weak” for having emotions but in reality it is so natural for anyone to cry and it helps relieve heavy emotional burdens.
I love this poem! Not many people acknowledge this issue. In society men are expected to be strong, brave, and courageous all the time, so some men fear to let their emotions show. In reality, we are all human and deserve the same love and comfort.
this poem is a heartfelt and meaningful piece that effectively addresses important themes of masculinity and emotional expression. Great work!
This is great. The message is great and I think more men needed to hear this. Men showing emotions is definitely a sensitive topic, but you expressing it and letting them know it is okay is great.
This poem personally resonates with me since I also struggle with not showing emotion in the hardest situations due to the fact that I’m a guy. Love how you can relate to your audience!
Your poem beautifully captures the journey from suppressing emotions to embracing vulnerability. It’s a powerful reminder that showing emotions is a strength, not a weakness. Your words can inspire others to be more open and honest about their feelings.
You conveyed how hard it is to grow up and be told emotions make you weak – just to find out it’s the opposite. Expressing your feels takes so much strength, and the ability to do it and be comfortable and secure in that is impressive. Incredible job, please please don’t stop writing.
Inspirational poem! Describing crying as ‘nourishment for the soul’ is beautifully worded and very true. I wish you the best!
Your poem powerfully challenges the idea that men must hide their emotions. It’s a beautiful reminder that vulnerability is a strength, and expressing feelings is essential for healing. Men cry too, and your words make that truth clear. This was beautiful!
I love this poem! It spreads awareness for something that needs to be more normalized. Great job making others feel comfortable!
Your poem speaks truth and vulnerability in a powerful way. It’s a reminder that showing emotions isn’t a sign of weakness, but a strength. Embracing feelings is a path to healing, and your words help break down the walls around it. Thank you for sharing this important message—men do cry, and it’s okay to feel.
This poem brings awareness to the important subject of men’s mental health and the stigma around men showing their emotions. This poem addresses this beautiful by showing how empowering embracing feelings can be.
This poem is a heartfelt reminder that vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness. It shows how important it is for everyone, including men, to express their emotions instead of hiding them. I appreciate how it challenges the stereotype that men must always be tough and can’t show their feelings. The poem makes a simple but powerful point crying and being open about your emotions is healthy, and it doesn’t make you less of a person. It’s a strong message about breaking down barriers and accepting that men cry too, and that’s perfectly okay.
MZ your poem is beautifully honest and heartfelt. It takes a lot of strength to challenge the lessons we’re taught growing up, and your words show just how powerful vulnerability can be. The idea of expressing emotions as nourishment for the soul is so relatable. Thank you for sharing this reminder that real strength comes from embracing our humanity—tears and all.
I really love the message of this poem and it is such an important message that everyone should know and hear! The phrase “feelings absent” and talking about “only absorbing pain” speaks to so many people’s journeys, especially men’s, and they don’t realize it. I think so many don’t realize the significance and importance of validating emotions like you said. You did such an amazing job with this writing and you seem so talented at expressing powerful words. Thank you for sharing!
MZ you did a great job with your poem. I liked the message that you’re showing us that even if people say men need to be tuff and not cry, that like anyone else, men need to cry too. I also liked how you tied it into a past experience and showed us how you feel now. Overall a great poem and keep up the great work!
This is so inspiring for the many men who feel caged by society’s perception of masculinity. They are told to hold it in and to suck it up, when really, letting go and experiencing your emotions is what brings you out of your shell. well said.
Your poem is honest and powerful, breaking down the idea that strength means silence. The raw vulnerability in your words makes it hit deep—men cry too, and that truth needs to be heard.
Your poem, MZ, is honest, unvarnished, and incredibly potent. Though it’s rarely discussed, many people can identify with the process from repressing feelings to accepting vulnerability. The statement, “showing my vulnerability is nourishment for my soul,” is powerful because it serves as a reminder that being strong is about letting our emotions flow rather than suppressing them. The straightforward yet meaningful phrase, “Men cry too,” dismantles the limitations of antiquated assumptions. Truth, healing, and a message that must be heard are all included in your words.
This is such an emotional piece! It teaches the readers that growing up at a young age and learning the importance of being physically strong was more important than being vulnerable. But as time progresses learning that being vulnerable makes a person strong as well since they are both physically and mentally strong is important.
This poem powerfully challenges the stigma around male vulnerability. By challenging the ideals pushing toxic masculinity, we can work towards making the world a better place for everyone.
Your poem is honest and powerful. It talks about how men are taught not to show emotions, but how opening up now is healing. The message “men cry too” is important, showing that everyone has feelings. Such a great poem!!
MZ, your emotions are so vulnerable in this poem. I understand how you feel, and just know it is okay to cry! Everyone is allowed to feel any emotions they choose and that is okay. Keep going you got this!
This poem is very honest and genuine. It shows a meaningful journey from suppressing emotions to embracing them, even when societal standards teach you not to. The last line is especially strong, breaking the stereotype in a straightforward but very impactful way. It’s a message that a lot of people need to hear. Keep up the good work!
I love how passionate this poem is. I am glad that you now know it’s okay to show your emotions and not be okay all the time. Thank you for sharing this with us, it was very lovely!
This poem is a great piece on how important breaking the stigma around men and emotion is. It’s so important to acknowledge the mental health of men, essentially breaking down the norms of toxic masculinity. Like you said, vulnerability is nourishment for the soul, and it is so significant to ensure that everyone recognizes that. Mental health is such an important cause to advocate for, and you’re so right when noting that no one should suffer in silence.
This poem is written from a whole different level. I feel this because I have a brother and I feel he has a lot of pressure on him always and I want him to know that it’s okay to feel something as well.
This poem shows the growth of understanding that it’s okay for men to express their emotions and be vulnerable. It’s a powerful reminder that crying and sharing feelings is a part of healing and strength.
this poem really spoke to me about the societal pressures placed on men to suppress their emotions. The contrast between being taught to “be tough” and later embracing vulnerability highlights an important personal growth journey—one that challenges traditional norms of masculinity. The simple yet powerful message, “Men cry too,” is a reminder that emotional expression is a sign of strength, not weakness, and it’s crucial for mental well-being.
What a beautiful poem! Thank you for putting emotions into words so beautifully. It’s a reminder that vulnerability isn’t weakness-it’s strength in its purest form.
This is so powerful
It’s poems and art such as this that allow us to talk about such important topics. Your poem manages so thoughtfully to encapsulate the societal pressures put on young boys to be tough and not show emotions. This upbringing then leads to so many men who do not know how to deal with their emotions and can many times harm others due to their internal pain and live lives full of suffering. This poem brings in personal experience to show how refreshing it is to feel your emotions making it that much more powerful. The last line “Men cry too” really enforces this idea and drives home the theme of letting men express themselves and be vulnerable.
Your words carry strength in their vulnerability. The poem challenges the silence so many are forced to live with, and in doing so, offers healing—not just for you, but for anyone who reads it. There’s courage in choosing to feel, and even more in choosing to speak it aloud. Thank you for reminding us that emotions are not a weakness—they’re human.
Hi MZ! This poem is wonderful thank you for sharing. This poem challenges harmful cultural norms around masculinity and emotional suppression. There’s a quiet strength in your vulnerability, and your shift from emotional numbness to emotional openness is powerful. I found this shift in min so powerful and inspirational. Keep on sharing and always express your emotions bc it’s healthy and natural!
This poem is short but deeply powerful, challenging harmful norms with honesty and grace. The shift from repression to emotional growth is beautifully expressed, offering a message of healing not just for the writer, but for others holding in their pain. “Men cry too” lands like both a truth and an invitation—for empathy, for strength through vulnerability, and for real change.
This is such a well needed message. Beautifully executed!
This is a beautiful poem. By subtly addressing the stigma that surrounds the idea that men crying is weak, you capture the importance of recognizing that vulnerability is healthy and it is important for everyone to have an outlet of some kind.
Dear MZ,
Your poem is a powerful and heartfelt rejection of toxic masculinity that really resonates. Your raw honesty about being taught that “boys don’t cry” and emotions mean weakness captures the heavy burden of those expectations. The shift to embracing vulnerability as “nourishment for my soul” is so moving, it’s like a breath of fresh air, showing that expressing feelings is strength, not shame. The final line, “Men cry too,” lands with such force, a bold claim for men’s humanity. For my feminist poetry class, your work highlights how patriarchy traps men in rigid roles, and it’s inspiring to see you break free. Thank you for this brave, soulful poem, it’s a call to rethink what it means to be a man.
This poem is so inspiring. I especially love the line “showing my vulnerability is nourishment for my soul.” You completely upend a stereotype with just a few words. I resonate with this deeply, because I too believe that emotions show strength and power, not weakness. You validate so many people with your writing and I’m so lucky to be able to read this.
This poem was very reflective. Even as a woman, I understand that mens emotions are often suppressed and that can be very damaging when growing up. The vulnerability you showed in this poem was very inspiring, good job!
Well done. Never stop expressing your emotions, they are important and they matter.
This poem is powerful because it challenges the idea that men must hide their emotions. It reminds us that expressing vulnerability is healthy and that everyone, regardless of gender, deserves to feel and show their emotions. Thank you for being so candid.
This poem is simple yet deeply impactful, carrying a message that challenges harmful norms with honesty. The contrast between childhood conditioning and adult self-discovery is powerful, showing growth from suppression to healing. Its straightforward language makes it accessible, which strengthens the universality of the message. Anyone can read it and feel its truth. The final declaration, “Men cry too,” lands like both a revelation and a call for acceptance.
This poem is really moving. I love how you’ve taken a message you were taught as a kid and turned it into something so honest and freeing. Your words about vulnerability being nourishment for the soul are powerful. It’s a reminder that expressing emotions isn’t a weakness; it’s a strength. “Men cry too” is such a simple but important truth, and your poem says it beautifully.
crying is freedom. crying is a right of human. never let anyone oppress your freedom to express emotion. i hope you’re doing okay, because in time, everything will be okay. 🙂
I resonate a lot with this poem, I think it’s too common for men to bottle up their feelings and forget about them. I believe that is so very important to let yourself feel those emotions, good or bad. If you spend your whole life swallowing your emotions, you’ll eventually get full. I think vulnerability should be a strength for men, and not seen as a weakness.
This message is so important. I wish so much that we didn’t live in a culture where men are taught that masculinity is about being unemotional. I’m sure your message and you as a person are modeling what it means to be a real man. A real man is someone that values others, that has emotions….that can cry. You are a model of what I hope my young sons can be…an emotional and thoughtful man.
This poem is powerful in its simplicity and truth. You’ve captured an emotional journey that many men can relate to moving from suppression to self-acceptance. Your words break through harmful stereotypes with honesty and courage, showing that real strength comes from vulnerability. Your closing message, “Men cry too,” is both a declaration and an invitation. It challenges stigma and opens space for empathy, connection, and growth. Through your poem, you give permission for others to feel and that’s incredibly powerful.
I love that this poem addresses the traditional ideas about masculinity. It shows that its ok for a man to be venerable and express his emotions. It expresses that showing emotion doesn’t make you weak; it makes you human. The poem has an honest, reflective tone, and the ending line, “Men cry too,” I feel like is a reminder to everyone that gender shouldn’t dictate what emotions someone is allowed to express.
This is a beautiful piece. It brings into perspective that all humans have feelings and no matter your gender you should be able to share them. The idea of vulnerability among men is something that is still being tackled into todays world. Thank you for sharing.
This is so real and important. I love how you’re flipping the script on that old “boys don’t cry” mindset. Showing vulnerability isn’t weakness; it’s strength, and your words capture that so beautifully. Thank you for sharing this reminder that it’s okay for men to feel and express emotions, it’s something everyone needs to hear.
Thank you for bringing awareness to this MZ. Being able to showcase your emotions is a powerful part of life and we should all be able to have that experience. Thank you for sharing!
Hello MZ! You show how powerful it is to unlearn the old lessons that told men to hide their hearts. You show that vulnerability isn’t weakness but a pathway to healing. You show that strength and tears can absolutely coexist. I loved reading this, great job!
Your poem is powerful and honest, shining a light on a truth that often goes unspoken. I love how you embrace vulnerability as strength and show that expressing emotions is essential for growth. Your words are a strong reminder that it’s okay for men to feel and to cry.
Your message is simple but incredibly strong. You really challenge the idea that men cannot show emotion, and you do it with such clarity. Vulnerability takes courage, and your poem shows exactly why it matters.
This poem delivers a powerful and heartfelt reclaiming of vulnerability, challenging a lifetime of harmful expectations with honest self-reflection. It challenges societal norms.
Being in environments where you can openly express your true feelings is incredibly important. I also grew up in spaces where sharing emotions wasn’t always encouraged, but now I make an effort to be around people who allow me to do so. Bottling up emotions can lead to other issues over time. Sometimes, shedding tears is exactly what a person needs to start processing a situation, so it’s healthy to let those feelings flow freely. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
The message being portrayed here is immensely important for future generations growing up in an era where mental health is a bigger concern than ever.
This poem crafts such an important message of the future generations of our world, as well as the current ones that are battling the mental health crisis.
This poem delivers a powerful reminder that vulnerability is a form of strength, not weakness, and that emotional expression can be healing. The message challenges old expectations of masculinity in a simple, honest way that resonates deeply.
MZ, this is a great poem! I love the way the poem showcases your transformation and shows what you have learned. Thanks for sharing with us MZ!
This poem challenges the harmful belief that boys must hide their emotions. By contrasting a childhood of emotional suppression with adulthood’s newfound openness, it shows a powerful journey toward healing. The simplicity of the language makes the message direct and honest. The final line, “Men cry too,” becomes both a declaration and an invitation for others to feel safely. Overall, the poem is a gentle reminder that vulnerability is strength, not weakness.
What starts as a sadly realistic form of life for men morphs into a boon for the pain and sorrow that men have held within themselves because they were told to. A great message and poem.
I really like how simple but powerful this poem is. It talks about something a lot of people don’t say out loud — how boys are taught to hide their emotions. The line about “only absorbing pain on this rough journey” really stood out to me because it shows what happens when you bottle everything up. I also like how the tone shifts when the speaker grows up and realizes that being vulnerable is actually healthy. Calling it “nourishment for my soul” makes it feel strong instead of weak. The last line, “Men cry too,” feels straightforward but important. It challenges that stereotype in a calm, confident way.
Within our society the stigma of men being strong and tough is constant. The continuous emotional repression puts men into boxes that restrict them into a state of constant self-reliance, which is not healthy for any individual. Going through life with your feelings absent because of the fear of being seen as weak can lead to a multitude of further issues within an individual’s life. Even though this poem is short, you can feel the emotion through the words. You can tell that ‘only absorbing the pain’ and not releasing it affected you. This poem is extremely vulnerable and it challenges perpetuating stereotypes. It takes strength to challenge societal norms.
To express that showing vulnerability has nourished your soul, shows the importance of expressing how one feels. Within the federal prison system, the ways of ‘living like a man’ are amplified and commodified so to communicate clearly that expressing your feelings is a healthy alternative to suppressing them shows extreme stability within one’s own self. What it means to be a man means to be in tune with what hurts them, what makes them happy, and care for others the way you want to be treated. Crying is not showing weakness, it shows that emotions are high and support is needed. This poem needs to be read by all men, and boys who live in the stigma that men are not supposed to cry.
I love your poem so much. People need to know that everybody has emotions. People need to know that’s it’s ok to cry sometimes. Sometimes you just need to let it all out, and it’s very healthy to do so. Keep up the great work!
This poem directly calls out societal norms and shows that it is more than okay, even important, to be vulnerable as a man. I like how you end the poem with one powerful statement “Men cry too.” because it brings the poem back to its meaning.
MZ, this is an extremely short but yet very impactful poem, which I really enjoy. It clearly shows the contrast between how you were raised and what you’ve come to understand as an adult. The beginning line about being taught that “boys don’t cry” is very relatable to many men, and it sets up the rest of the poem well. When you say you went through life with your feelings absent, it gives a strong sense of how that mindset affected you. The shift into vulnerability being “nourishment for my soul” is powerful. It shows growth and a healthier perspective, and it feels honest rather than forced. The ending line, “Men cry too,” is simple but effective; it leaves a clear message that sticks with the reader.
MZ, thank you. Emotion is to be human, no matter your gender. They allow us to express our curiosity, our love, our hopes and dreams. Crying is the expression of overwhelming emotions from grief to gratitude. Everyone is allowed to feel these ways.
This poem is really relatable, as I have also been fed the same mentality, I also like how straight forward it is.
This poem offers a powerful reflection on masculinity and emotional expression. The opening lines highlight how harmful expectations like “boys don’t cry” can shape someone’s relationship with their feelings, leading to emotional suppression and isolation. I found it especially meaningful how the poem shifts from that learned toughness to recognizing vulnerability as “nourishment for my soul.” That redefinition of strength feels really important. The final line, “Men cry too,” is simple but impactful—it challenges stereotypes and affirms the humanity in expressing emotion. This poem made me reflect on how social expectations can limit people, and how reclaiming vulnerability can be an act of growth and self-acceptance. Thank you for sharing such an honest and important message.
Dear MZ,
Thank you for having the courage to share this piece. This topic is one that is not brought to light enough and deserves way more attention and support. You capture it beautifully and have likely inspired other men to share their own stories.
A stunning poem! This piece is raw and emotional. It comments on societal norms and shows the growth of the speaker as they realize the importance of embracing their emotions. Their is so much strength in your words and your art. This was a truly incredible piece, amazing work.
I love the personification of vulnerability being nourishment for the soul. It is so true and is a wonderful way to push against societal norms, especially toxic masculinity. Thank you so much.
Such a lovely poem, short but powerful. It talks about a stereotype that still affects many men today. Growing up, a lot of boys are taught that showing emotions or crying makes them weak, which can cause them to hide their feelings instead of expressing them in healthy ways. The line “Showing emotions meant that you was weak” stood out to me because it reflects how society often pressures men to appear emotionally strong at all times.
Your poem also connected to something I have been working on recently for a project about mental health stereotypes. It made me realize how important it is to educate newer generations early about emotions and mental health so people do not grow up feeling ashamed for expressing themselves. I especially liked the ending, “Men cry too,” because even though it is short, it carries a powerful message. It reminds readers that emotions are valid for everyone and that gender should not take a place in that. Your poem showed me how harmful these stereotypes can be and how important it is to normalize emotional expression and mental health conversations for everyone.