I
we sit in bars or at home
getting drunk and stupid on
overpriced liquor and
reality television
waiting in vain for
a well timed escape
depression doesn’t hit those
that are down and out
the bums, ramblers, and gamblers
when you have nothing to lose
you have nothing to worry about
no, depression grabs the average man
the soft hearted
comfortable and safe
in modern illusions
but slowly
trivialities pile up
creeping, crawling
into consciousness
and eventually
they seep out, because you are
a little older
a little slower
round and tired
and the moment is shorter
some men are just better at failure than others
always wanting more they stop caring
about wars, money, music, sex
diets, the price of gas, elections
tyranny, television, love, odd jobs
the children, the elderly, mortgages
sunshine, roads, movies, grey hairs
alcohol, independence, bonfires
laws, exercise, birthdays, wrinkles
capitalism, fascism, socialism,
late night walks, cars, food, and friends
things fade sometimes
that’s just the way of it
only to come back unexpectedly
it’s a continual condition
but the writing
the writing will always matter

II
fate flies in fear of the moment
so don’t let that fire burn too hot
feed it slow
stop, let go
gimme a new setting
dangerous and unfamiliar
step back, watch
and don’t try too hard
in one membrane and out the other
don’t be profound or try to impress
just be honest because
words flow best unhindered by
dull realities
consumed in a furious whirlwind
of worth-less experiences
shovel those words into the computer
then wait, revisit and revise
dissect and rebuild
let destruction birth something new
listen to the critics, then fuck them
be crude and just a little bit obscene
shock them into curiosity and submission
make them want more
cause let’s face it
we ain’t in this game to make money
no fame here
no signs or immortality
writing for everyone
and writing for no one
looking for
creativity
and slight admiration
killing off the boredom
to shape a better day