“Cameron Conaway has created a collection of poems from deep in the heart and soul of an ever-changing and healing masculinity. He masterfully uses personal experience and perspective to make visible what so many of us feel but never question, much less articulate. Each poem is an invitation to the reader to feel, to reflect, and to change. As someone who uses artistic expression to ask men and boys to consider and create healthy masculinities, I am grateful to have Man Box as an extraordinary resource.”
“In this exquisite collection, Conaway breaks the manacles of manhood by bravely disrupting its ‘lexicon of destruction.’ In dialogue with texts that range from ancient to popular culture, his poems explore the myriad ways that boys are ‘the first victims / and the second perpetrators . . . broken to see / the world as theirs but not / until they murder it.’ The strength of these poems comes from the tenderness and vulnerability they unapologetically express—and the dazzling prosody by which they express it. If ever a book of poetry had the promise to make a vital impact on our contemporary culture, it is Man Box.”
“Man Box is a heart-full exploration of how we train men to be men, how men go about being men, and the consequences for us all. From boyhood to war to moonlight to death, Conaway bares his soul to help us see our own.”
“Conaway’s work bleeds an authentic truth; the poems offered in Man Box are a direct extension of that truth–the truth about what it takes to redefine the realms of masculinity and manhood. Man Box equips readers with the kind of strength and fortitude that only comes when one is present in the moments that matter most. These poems ultimately leave readers emotionally involved, as if the speaker is sitting right next to them and challenging them to turn their thoughts into meaningful action.”
“Finally a book that doesn’t just talk about challenging toxic masculinity. Humble, perceptive, and gut-wrenchingly vulnerable, Man Box embodies the characteristics necessary for men and boys to redefine manhood in America. Through vivid images from his own complicated history with toxic masculinity, Conaway demonstrates how honest self-reflection can be healing and freeing for men. Man Box is a roadmap for anyone who dreams of a world where men and boys can be their authentic selves. If we are going to build that world, these poems will help guide the way.”
“Cameron Conaway is a masterful poet. Man Box is a collection of powerful stories ripped from the lives of men of all walks of life who have been affected by the roles they are encouraged to play. The depth of imagery and vivid depictions of life, love, pain, and family are at once sad, tragic, and remarkably real.
“One of his poems, BREAKING, is such a powerful indictment of what our society has become, and what we sadly face on a daily basis. The deluge of media, of the latest story, and the sad reminder that, more often than not, men are deeply embedded in the pain inflicted and the lives shattered. We need to do something, and it starts with examining our own stories, our own lives, and our own roles in mending the broken fences that we see day after day. In the poem Rain After Rain, Conaway explores the simplicity and beauty of a single act, the holding of a hand, how we long for such moments, but as soon as we think to write it down or share it with the masses, it flees. We long for change, and we long to be inclusive, yet we too often fail to move from longing to action. Conaway writes of this struggle and carries the torch for us, with us, as we march through life.
“As a practitioner in higher education, I am often looking for ways to help men on our campuses grapple with the concepts of real and fake masculinity. What does it mean to be a man? How can I demonstrate love and loss while also maintaining my own sense of self and self-worth? How can I lead while being tragically linked to what some may feel are inherent, expected behaviors? These are all questions that Conaway approaches and deals with head-on. This is a thoughtful collection of poems and stories that will help the reader—men and women alike—better understand what makes up the Man Box.”
“‘Boys are the weaponized / weapons of war.’ In the world of these poems, our world, ‘they are. . . broken to see / the world as theirs but not / until they murder it.’ These poems observe the ways in which men form each other, in violence and also tenderness. They reveal what men learn and unlearn as they grow into deeper connection with themselves and the world around them.”
— Editor’s note: Cameron Conaway is a former Executive Editor for The Good Men Project.
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This post was originally published on the book publisher’s site, ConnectionVictory.com and is republished here with permission.
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