of late

I’ve had this thought

that this country

has gone backwards

4 or 5 decades

and that all the

social advancement

the good feeling of

person toward

person

has been washed

away

and replaced by the same

old

bigotries

We have more than ever

the selfish wants of power

the disregard for the weak

the old

the impoverished

the helpless.

We are replacing want with war

salvation with slavery

we have wasted the gains

we have become rapidly

less

we have our Bomb

it is our fear

our damnation

and our

shame

now

something so sad

has hold of us

that

the breath

leaves

and we can’t even

cry

— Charles Bukowski, who rarely capitalized words.