Coaches Make Winners

He was yelling at
them.

Barking out orders
to small athletes,
as they pretend
to be football players.

He yelled at them
with so much anger,
it was verging on hatred.

like a drunken father,
planting fear.

Some cried,
it only angered him more.

I felt I needed to do something.
This is not the way to make men.

These small athletes, still boys,
will learn not to cry.

They will learn to be ashamed of it.

They will grow to be men,
scared to be seen by other men,
as weak
as fags
or homos

They will grow to be incomplete men

incomplete to their future lovers and wives.
incomplete to sons of their own.

This is no way to make men.

I talk to another coach to do something, anything.
He tells me the Coach is doing his job.
He looks at me like I could never understand.

I can't understand,
and for this
I am grateful.

10'