HARVEY MILK

I Fought Goliath

My name is Harvey Milk
In high school and college
I was one of the boys
I excelled at football
I was the class clown
No one suspected there was another side to me

I went to college and majored in Mathematics
I served in the Navy and fought in the Korean War
I became a successful Wall Street banker
Unsatisfied I gave all that up
Life was calling me to do so much more

I moved to San Francisco
I settled in on Castro Street
I started my life over and began to embrace my disease
I rubbed elbows with future politicians and artists
I knew people present at the Stonewall Riots
I was ready to come out

My name is Harvey Milk

Social injustices caused me to rise from my chair
It wasn’t enough to be a business owner on Castro Street
I became the Mayor
Put a face to the people and you give them hope
I was wise about publicity and broke down stereotypes
I was peaceful and strong like the waves crashing to shore

We are gay and lesbian, we are queens, and we are transgender
Most of all we are human
I ran three times for public office before I finally won
There was criticism and roadblocks
Amid death threats, I prevailed
It was a huge win for us
I changed the face of politics

My life was about getting the freedom to be who I wanted
Freedom for everyone like me to live openly
I firmly believed amid all the chaos
Hope was all this world needed
Danger lurks around every corner
Progress cannot be made from fear

If a bullet should enter my brain
Let that bullet destroy every closet door
I wasn’t trying to become a martyr
I was just a guy trying to make things fair
I was the dove that flew out and came back with the olive branch
My name is Harvey Milk

By Karis Jones