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valet by Charles Bukowski

One of my favorite poems from The Flash of Lightning Behind the Mountain by Charles Bukowski.


valet
by Charles Bukowski


I slide out of my battered
BMW
tell the valet,
"we accept but do not
offer mercy."

he laughs, "hey, hey,
I like that!"

he is a chatty
sort.
he shows me his arm:
"look, that's from a razor.
I was trying it one
night until I asked myself,
"why should I disfigure
a beautiful body like
mine?"
(he's built like an
ape.)

"either way, you're
right."

"what do you
mean?"

"I mean, do it or
don't, you're
right."

he grins: "hey,
yeah! that's
true!"

we smile at one another.

"I hear you write books?"
he says.

"that's true,
sometimes."

"where can I buy your
shit?"

"here and there..."

there is a line of
cars building up behind
us. it is a hot stupid
Saturday.

they
begin to
honk.

"HEY, YOU GUYS, KNOCK IT
OFF!"

"THEY'RE PUTTING THEM IN THE
GATE!"

"CUT OUT THE SHIT!"

the mob never understands
exchanges of
culture.

I move toward the
clubhouse.

my valet friend gets in and
zooms off in my
battered
BMW.

yes,
almost
anything
makes a
poem. 

magkasabay

Sabay tayong tataba
sabay tayong papayat

sabay tayong ngingiti
sabay tayong luluha
habang magkahawak ang ating mga kamay.

sabay tayong maglalakad
sabay tayong tatakbo

sabay tayong aalis
sabay din tayong babalik

ngunit hindi naman parating sabay,

habang ika'y naliligo na
papasok sa opisina

ako ay tulog pa,
bukas na maglalaba.