I’ll teach my boys to be dangerous men

And if a sister cries you cry with them

I’ll teach them to stop before they descend

too deep in their pain for those who depend

on us to feel safe to keep them all warm

And when you feel the cold you knock on the door

and hope someone like you is there keeping watch

to tap you out make your bed

and sharpen your sword and kiss your head

And die as a man who knows we’re meant

to be remembered for love

and the kindness he’s spent

I’ll teach my boys to be dangerous men

In a world where danger is simply the norm

the dangerous thing is not to conform

the dangerous thing is not to watch porn

not to base love on a paid performance

But in the soft silence of three in the morning

that love’s just sleeping

bringing them water

I’ll teach my boys to be dangerous men

And not be naive enough to pretend

that they won’t have to fight

for the ones they defend

but if they must fight fight to never again

I’ll teach my boys to be light when they can

and know in the darkness to reach for my hand

I’ll teach my boys to be dangerous men

so the danger for all of us finally ends