My friends say I am like Charles Bukowski

minus the swearing

and the drinking

and the gambling

and the otherwise lascivious behaviors

At first blush, a compliment!

to be mentioned with the like

On second thought,

a compliment greater still

as I reflect upon his work

There appears always

an unflinching truth in the words

It was behind

or perhaps, because,

of all the filth, his words rang true

He was a man with a pen

a bottle

an idea

and the courage to combine them

and display the result to all the world

My friends say I am like Charles Bukowski

though I'm yet to see the resemblance.

I hope it is the courage and truth to which they refer.

If the man were here now, I'd hope he would take it kindly

as an insult.