Hank Bukowski Poem #2: Are You Drinking?

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Are You Drinking - Poem by Charles Bukowski

Washed-up, on shore, the old yellow notebook
out again

I write from the bed
as I did last
year.

Will see the doctor,
Monday.

"yes, doctor, weak legs, vertigo, head-
aches and my back
hurts."

"are you drinking?" he will ask.

"are you getting your
exercise, your
vitamins?"

I think that I am just ill
with life, the same stale yet
fluctuating
factors.

Even at the track
I watch the horses run by
and it seems
meaningless.

I leave early after buying tickets on the
remaining races.

"taking off?" asks the motel
clerk.

"yes, it's boring,"
I tell him.

"If you think it's boring
out there," he tells me, "you oughta be
back here."

so here I am
propped up against my pillows
again
just an old guy
just an old writer
with a yellow
notebook.

Something is
walking across the
floor
toward
me.

Oh, it's just
my cat
this
time.

-Charles Bukowski
Bukowski Speaks!

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