THE BLUEBIRD

there’s a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out
but I’m too tough for him,
I say, stay in there, I’m not going to let anybody see you.

there’s a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out
but I pour whiskey on him and inhale
cigarette smoke
and the whores and the bartenders
and the grocery clerks never know that he’s in there.

there’s a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out
but I’m too tough for him,
I say, stay down, do you want to mess me up?
you want to blow my book sales in Europe?

there’s a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out
but I’m too clever, I only let him out
at night sometimes when everybody’s asleep.
I say, I know that you’re there, so don’t be sad.

then I put him back, but he’s singing a little in there,
I haven’t quite let him die
and we sleep together like that
with our secret pact
and it’s nice enough to make a man weep, but I don’t
weep, do you?

- CHARLES BUKOWSKI-