Harold Norse's celebrated poem "I'm Not A Man" read by poet A.D. Winans on 5/10/2015 from:
I Am Going to Fly Through Glass: Selected Poems of Harold Norse
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I'm not a man, I can't earn a living, buy new things for my family.
I have acne and a small peter.
I'm not a man. I don't like football, boxing and cars.
I like to express my feeling. I even like to put an arm
around my friend's shoulder.
I'm not a man. I won't play the role assigned to me—the role created
by Madison Avenue, Playboy, Hollywood and Oliver Cromwell.
Television does not dictate my behavior.
I'm not a man. Once when I shot a squirrel I swore that I would
never kill again. I gave up meat. The sight of blood makes me sick.
I like flowers.
I'm not a man. I went to prison resisting the draft. I do not fight
when real men beat me up and call me queer. I dislike violence.
I'm not a man. I have never raped a woman. I don't hate blacks.
I do not get emotional when the flag is waved. I do not think I should
love America or leave it. I think I should laugh at it.
I’m not a man. I have never had the clap.
I'm not a man. Playboy is not my favorite magazine.
I'm not a man. I cry when I'm unhappy.
I'm not a man. I do not feel superior to women
I'm not a man. I don't wear a jockstrap.
I'm not a man. I write poetry.
I'm not a man. I meditate on peace and love.
I'm not a man. I don't want to destroy you.
-SanFran, CA 1972
