If so the man, in modern threads arrayed, If so the man, by shifting norms dismayed, If so the man, in transgenders wake, If so the man, who feels his values shake. If so the man, XX and XY blend, If so the times, where strengths and weaknesses bend. If so the era, hard as iron cast, Creates the men, whose strength in trials last. If so the man, who stands with quiet might, If so the man, in daily toil's harsh light, If so the man, who fights but not with fists, If so the man, in modern mists exists. If so the strong, who rise from strife and pain, If so their hands, that good times craft and gain. If so the world, on sturdy shoulders borne, If so the age, when ease and peace are sworn. If so the man, who’s told his strength’s a vice, If so the man, who pays too dear a price, If so the man, ‘gainst stereotypes he fights, If so the man, in endless gender plights. If so the strong, who rise from strife and pain, If so their hands, that good times craft and gain. If so the world, on sturdy shoulders borne, If so the age, when ease and peace are sworn. If so the man, whose voice is often drowned, If so the man, where balance must be found, If so the man, who seeks a middle way, If so the man, with more than memes to say. If so the strong, who rise from strife and pain, If so their hands, that good times craft and gain. If so the world, on sturdy shoulders borne, If so the age, when ease and peace are sworn. If so the ease, that breeds complacency, If so the men, in comfort, lose their key. If so the times, of plenty, soft and bright, Breeding the weak, who've never known the fight. If so the weak, in luxury's sweet lap, If so the world, caught in this fateful trap. If so the cycle, ever turns and spins, Each era ends, as another begins. If so the man, who treads a narrow line, If so the man, where roles no more define, If so the man, in new world, bravely stands, If so, this man, reshapes the olden sands.
If so the man you are commissionaire
"Percy Wyndham Lewis" was an English writer, painter, and critic, known for his association with the Vorticist movement in art and literature. The poem "If so the man you are commissionaire" is characteristic of Lewis's style, which often incorporates a sharp, satirical tone and a focus on modern societal structures and roles.
In this poem, Lewis seems to be exploring the concept of masculinity and societal roles, particularly those that are considered menial or subservient. The repetition of "If so the man" emphasizes a questioning or challenging of these roles. The use of phrases like "commissionaire," "marchand de mégots" (cigarette butt seller), and references to menial tasks like "fetch-and-carry" and "banging taxi-doors" point to a critique of the limited and often undervalued roles assigned to men in society.
The poem also touches on themes of pride, honor, and societal expectations, with references to being "bemedalled" and a "man's-man." The closing lines, "If so a man, we throw to the dicky-birds," could be interpreted as a dismissal of these societal constructs, suggesting that these roles and labels are ultimately insignificant or trivial.
Lewis's work often challenges and critiques societal norms, and this poem seems to follow that trend, questioning the roles and identities that society imposes on individuals.