Wound Man

"Man is a danger to others because he is a stranger to himself."

The Wound Man was a surgical diagram that first appeared in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. While the image illustrates the numerous physical scars and bodily injuries man may experience, what is missing are the emotional wounds and internal traumas that exist under the surface. In a time when society is recognizing the impacts of patriarchy, male privilege, and toxic masculinity, it may seem unpopular, or even inappropriate, to highlight the inner wounds of man. However, as this collection of poems suggest, it might be more dangerous for society to ignore them.

These wounds are ubiquitous, found in men of every culture, religion, and political affiliation. Some try to mask the wound with ardent religious activity and others call it out with painstaking academic precision, but neither can heal the wound. Deep understanding is needed for that. And so we are left with two uncomfortable choices: ignore the wounds to our peril or face them with courage and compassion so they can be healed. These poems are an attempt at the latter.

Wound Man is a poetry chapbook exploring the wounded mind, body, and soul of so-called man.