M y name is Andrea I told him. It meansmanhood or courage. It is a European name but in Europeonly boys are named it. I was born down the street from WaltWhitman’s house, on Mickle Street in Camden in 1946. I’mfrom his street. I’m from his country, the country he wroteabout in his poems, the country o f freedom, the country o fecstasy, the country o f jo y o f the body, the country o funiversal love o f every kind o f folk, no one unworthy or toolow, the country o f working men and w orking women withdignity; I’m from his country, not the Amerika run by warcriminals, not the country that hates and kills anyone notwhite. I’m from his country, not yours. Do you know themap o f his country? “ I will not have a single person slighted orleft away. ” “ I am the poet o f the B ody and I am the poet o f theSo u l. ” “ I am the poet o f the woman the same as the m an. ” “ Itoo am not a bit tamed, I too am untranslatable, / 1 sound m ybarbaric yaw p over the roofs o f the w o rld .
