Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Julius Chingono

BIG BOYS DON’T CRY

BIG BOYS DON’T CRY

BIG BOYS DON’T CRY

That woman
in an oversize dress
the shadow of whose breast
lingers in my mind
lulled me
Big boys don’t cry
Big boys don’t cry

she chorused in song.
I slept eyes dry
cushioned in bold lyrics
to dream
singing the next verse
‘Big boys don’t cry
but swear an’ sweat
sigh an’ fight
for they have seen
more than one forest fire
have been stung
by more than one bee.’
Close

BIG BOYS DON’T CRY

That woman
in an oversize dress
the shadow of whose breast
lingers in my mind
lulled me
Big boys don’t cry
Big boys don’t cry

she chorused in song.
I slept eyes dry
cushioned in bold lyrics
to dream
singing the next verse
‘Big boys don’t cry
but swear an’ sweat
sigh an’ fight
for they have seen
more than one forest fire
have been stung
by more than one bee.’

BIG BOYS DON’T CRY

Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère