What's Important

Bukowski taught me

that women
come and go
that jobs
come and go
that places to live
come and go

that when your belly is empty
you have to eat
but food
is not important

that water sustains the body
not the life
so water
is not important

the bottle
a last friend on the road of hopelessness
solving and creating problems
building truths out of lies
a means to an end
but alcohol
is not important

that when the world is on your back
and the walls are caving in
and there is no money
and there are no women
and there is no job
or a job that is slowly killing
and the rent is due
the best thing to do is
press up against all the angst of yourself
smothering in your self-doubt until
life breaks through onto the page
in the form of a poem that staves of death
at least for one more night

that's important