Norman Mailer: Works and Days

Poems

Mailer's first appearance in The Atlantic Monthly: a cluster of five poems, one titled 'Testaments' and the other four untitled, opening 'Men who are not married,' 'I know the belly of Mexico,' 'Promise? I won't make a promise,' and 'Poems written by masochists.' All five are reprinted three months later in Deaths for the Ladies (62.3).

“Poems.” Atlantic, January 1962, 62. Five poems — Mailer’s first appearance in the Atlantic. The collection comprises one titled poem, “Testaments,” and four untitled poems opening: “Men who are not married”; “I know the belly of Mexico”; “Promise? I won’t make a promise”; and “Poems written by masochists.” Rpt: Deaths for the Ladies (and Other Disasters) (62.3, 30 March 1962).

First published: 1962-01
Form: poem
Lennon & Lennon: 62.1
Cite as: /works/1962-01-poems
Last updated: 2026-05-27