The American School of Manliness by Zachary Grewe

 

THE AMERICAN SCHOOL OF MANLINESS

 

It’s been nineteen years since I first enrolled

And nineteen years of perfect attendance.

Yet all I’ve learned is to be stupid

At the American School of Manliness.

 

There is no need for brains – just brawn – 

For manly men don’t think, you see.

The life of the mind, a nose in the books 

Is quite at odds with masculinity.

 

But the brains that do somehow prevail

The dumbing down of manliness 

Find themselves in lesser posts,

Ridiculed, shamed, and embarrassed.

 

For why would a man pursue intellect,

If he could chase a ball?

He must be a nerd, a geek, an outcast –

Hardly a man at all.

 

Never too quick and never too bright

And of course we’ll never get your birthday right.

We can’t cook and we can’t clean.

We need a woman to do just about everything.

 

Yet still you’ll find some strange school pride

In the sex drive worn on our sleeve.

Somehow we think it might provide

A twisted reason for blatant stupidity. 

 

So expel me, please, I beg you!

I won’t stay another day

At the American School of Manliness.

I am man, but not your way

 OVERVIEW

STANZA: 7 with 4 lines in each

THEME: Men and masculinity

TONE: Irony

MOOD: Realistic

 

The first stanza:

The author describes that his nineteen years of living is like studying in the school that teaches how to be men.

The second stanza:

In the school, the author learns that brain is useless for men. They don’t have reasons to be there. Instead, men should focus more on their physical abilities. Masculine men don’t bother to think before they act. To be reading and studying all the time is very peculiar for them.

The third stanza:

For some cases where men show their intelligence or superiority and simplifying their own masculinity-

Those people are to make fun of and neglected from society as they don’t live up to general standards.

The fourth stanza:

For most people, a man does not have to sharpen their knowledge as they can always use their physical abilities to the max. Anyone else who don’t really have chance with anything involves verbal strength are considered to be an outsider. They have their own labels and not treated like men at all.

The fifth stanza:

Men either can’t be too smart or too dumb because they will be judged both ways. They are never precise about something and will take everything easily, never will remember important dates like someone’s birthday. Men look like they are a very dependent creature but the truth is, they are not. They can’t cook, clean- basically all of the house chores. It’s not like they don’t know how to, rather everyone has this stereotype that women are in charge to do that.

The sixth stanza:

Even then, somehow, men are proud having those traits. The author even stated in the stanza that it is some sort of a thing to be proud of for them. All they have is uncontrolled libido which can never be fully satisfied. Perhaps, that is the reason for the obvious foolishness in men.

The seventh stanza:

In the last stanza, the author badly wants to get out of the concept given by society. He certainly won’t follow the rules made by most people of how a man supposed to be. He emphasize that he is indeed a man, but in his own way.