I Need a Woman, I Really Need One,
I Am Not Kidding

I need a woman
I really need one
I am not kidding
I really need a woman
I need one
I am not kidding, really
I need one, really
I need a woman, really
I need one woman, really
Kidding I am not
A woman I really need
One woman I need
Not kidding I am
A woman I need
One woman I really need
Kidding I am not, really
I am not really kidding
Kidding I am really not
Not kidding I really am
One woman I need, really
I need a kidding woman
I need a kidding woman, really
I need one woman really kidding
I need one really kidding woman
I am kidding
I am really a woman
I am a woman, really
I am a kidding one
I am a kidding woman
I am a kidding woman, really
I am a really kidding woman
I am one kidding woman, really
I am one really kidding woman
I am kidding, really
I am really kidding
I am not really a woman
I am a kidding one, really
I am not a kidding woman
A kidding woman I need
A kidding woman I really need
A really kidding woman I need
A kidding woman I need, really
One kidding woman I need
One really kidding woman I need
I need, really
I need
I need kidding
I really need kidding
I need a woman really kidding
I really need a kidding woman
I am really not kidding.

PUBLICATION: Vortex, mid-June 1995, East High School

HISTORY: Written with Valentine's Day in mind, it became an instant favorite with the Vortex staff, who urged me to read it several times throughout the rest of the school year.
The "funny" thing about this poem is that it's only purpose is to take the same nine words--"I," "need," "a," "woman," "really," "one," "am," "not," and "kidding"--and arrange them into as many different lines as possible.
I don't wish to discuss the possibility of hidden meanings within this celebrated throwaway, as I am afraid of what the hidden meanings may be.
"I am a woman"? Hardly. (And I do mean hard.)