the x-bum

[mdmc]

it was a good training ground out there
(although there were times
of fear and madness)
and there were times when it wasn't kind
and there were times when my comrades were
cowardly
treacherous
or
debased.

it taught me also
that there was no bottom to life
you could always fall lower
into a bestial groveling
and when you reached
that point
nobody cared or would ever
care.
and then, with no feelings left, that was the strangest
feeling of them
all.

so, today I got into my BMW, drove to my
bank and picked up my American Express
Gold Card. (I always promised myself that I'd
write about that when it
happened.)

I know what people will say: "Chinaski! writing about
his American Express Gold Card! who gives a damn
about that? or who care that he's now in
Who's Who in America?"

I can't think of another poet who makes people as
angry as I do.
I enjoy it
knowing that we are all brothers and sisters
in a very unkind extended
family
and I also never forget that
no matter
what the circumstances,
the park bench is never that far away
from any one of
us.

Charles Bukowski Come On In! New Poems page 238

[mdmc]

1. buk!