Write a poem that deals with the poems, poets, and other people who inspired you to write poems.
“don’t try,” he said.
it’s written on his gravestone.
a reminder
that if it doesn’t come to you
with full force
like the first cup of coffee
or the sixteenth beer
then wait.
the defeated
the demented,
and the damned
follow him from his
la flophouse
writing him testimonials
and love letters
about how he saved
their lives,
how much they love him,
how they want to be him,
and they follow him
to the grave —
“a brawler, gambler,
companion of bums and whores,
boozehound with an oceanic thirst.”
with 100 books
and counting,
the low-life and alcoholic
always comes out with more
