by imarkanx
Unleashed to strut about,
Tail feathers, wattle, and comb,
Free-ranged,
Unchained,
Deranged—
Cockerel of the run,
Crowing proudly at the sun.
Snickering fills the coop.
All the hens know the truth.
Gelded rooster, you and I
Share this designation:
Prized and emasculated,
Mostly there—but in the end,
Just a dumb mannequin.
No better than plastic,
Like Barbie’s dear Ken,
Not a real rooster at all.
Author’s Note:
This poem is a sardonic exploration of what it means to be masculine. It uses the metaphor of a capon—a castrated rooster—as a show bird strutting the chicken run. It examines projected pride and internal emptiness, exploring the roles we’re expected to play.
Istvan Markan, who writes as imarkanx, is a poet and short prose writer from Waterloo, Ontario. His work explores the extraordinary within the everyday, using spare language and evocative imagery to reveal emotional undercurrents. His writing can be found at imarkanx.substack.com