by charles bukowski
don’t worry, nobody has the
beautiful lady, not really, and
nobody has the strange and
hidden power, nobody is exceptional or wonderful or
magic, they only seem to be.
it’s all a trick, an in, a con,
don’t buy it, don’t believe it.
the world is packed with
billions of people whose lives
and deaths are useless and
when one of these jumps up
and the light of history shines
upon them, forget it, it’s not
what it seems it’s just
another act to fool the fools
again.
there are no strong men, there
are no beautiful women.
at least, you can die knowing
this
and you will have
the only possible
victory.
Here’s a clue
play with an idea
use it
like a chew toy
and if it can’t
stand up to
the pressure
throw it like
a bone
like the seam
is all sewn
If you don’t find
it interesting –
engaging emotions –
why would
anyone else?
It’s light bulb time again
I’ve got a feeling
down is never quite as funky as up
never a waste of direction
a time for every season
a reason for every mood
and deep is just a word
unless you’re stuck
at the bottom
of a well
If a miracle
occurs
and no one
notices
is
it
actually
a
miracle?
time is relative
to the speed
of love
How do I stay awake?
By remembering
to watch
the monkey show
You don’t know me
You don’t know that the splendor
of a second can outlive the conformity
of a lifetime
You don’t know me
You may know of sadness and grace
but you confuse me with yourself
projecting your mind into the mirror
of my soul
You don’t know me
You don’t know the agility
of desire’s dance
to shock you into seeing
what it is you never needed
I must water my own seeds
tend my own garden
then the resultant fruit
can be freely shared
I tend to bite off the fruit
from other trees
bury it
in the ground
of my soul
and wonder
why nothing grows
She told me a salesman complimented her hair.
“You know what that means, don’t you?”
-No, what does that mean?
“That he likes your hair.”
-I don’t get the connection.
“Because yours is the look I was going for.”
Once again I wonder
why I keep doing this
personal trash
compacter dance
The space you afford
squeezes my life breath
beyond comfort
or grace
Once again, I decide
it’s over, I’m done
declare you the victor
the towel thrown in
Yet once again
I’ll change my mind
forget all
you have done
watch you slither
your backside
on the throne
once again
But this time
I’d really like
to do something
different
for all time
once again
