A True Man

By Almas Arif

A true man sees a woman as a human,

Not an object of desire, but her essence, her soul, her being.

He honours every role she plays in life,

Not just as a woman, but as a mother, wife, and sister,

As he cherishes his own role as father, husband, brother.

He sees beyond the circle of society's boundaries,

Recognising a strong-minded woman with choices and desires.

For He knows the worth of his own freedom and voice,

And honours her right to the same, with equal respect.

When he sees her strength, he stands and applauds,

Never to belittle, but to affirm that all are human—woman or man.

A strong-minded man values her freedom, as he knows,

The essence of liberty in every human’s soul.

He never questions her attire or her power,

For he controls himself, as a human who honours all boundaries.

A true man is, above all, a true human,

Seeing her first as a human, and dignifying her as a woman.

He knows she deserves respect for her choices and her freedom,

And honours her body, her being, as an existence of being a woman.

A true man is, at heart, a true human,

As a true woman is, too, a true human.

For both are human, and together they stand,

Each complementing the other,

As a man and as a woman.

By Almas Arif