congrats, Chinaski - Bukowski
as I near 70
I get letters, cards, little gifts
from strange people.
congratulations, they tell
me,
congratulations
I know what they mean:
the way I have lived
I should have been dead in half
that time
I have piled myself with a mass of
grand abuse, been
careless toward myself
almost to the point of
madness,
I am still here
leaning toward this machine
in this smoke-filled room,
this large blue trashcan to my
left
full of empty
containers
the doctors have no answers
and the gods are
silent
congratulations, death,
on your patience.
I have helped you all that
I can
now one more poem
and a walk out on the balcony,
such a fine night there
I am dressed in shorts and stockings,
gently scratch my old
belly,
look out there
look off there
where dark meets dark
it's been one hell of a crazy
ballgame
from "Third Lung Review" - 1992
I no longer subscribe to the lifestyle but I love this poem - I guess the quiet triumph and the FU attitude are still familiar to me LOL
Very cool you got to meet him, whatever the outcome Zencat.
D