Charles Bukowski's Bluebird

          Charles Bukowski 
               Bluebird 

There’s a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out, but I’m too tough for him,
I say, stay in there, I’m not going to let anybody see you.

There’s a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out
but I pour whiskey on him and inhale cigarette smoke
and the whores and the bartenders and the grocery clerks
never know that he’s in there.

There’s a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out
but I’m too tough for him,
I say, stay down, do you want to mess me up?
you want to screw up the works?
you want to blow my book sales in Europe?
There’s a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out
but I’m too clever, I only let him out at night sometimes
when everybody’s asleep.
I say, I know that you’re there, so don’t be sad.
Then I put him back, but he’s singing a little
in there, I haven’t quite let him die
and we sleep together like that
with our secret pact, and it’s nice enough to
make a man weep, but I don’t weep,
do you?....