People
look at the people: elbows, knees,
earlobes, crotches, feet,
noses, lips, eyes, all the parts
usually clothed, and they are
engaged
in whatever they usually do
which is hardly ever
delightful,
their psyches stuffed with
used matter and propaganda,
advertising propaganda, religious
propaganda, sexual propaganda,
political propaganda, assorted
propagandas, and they
themselves are
dull and vicious.
they are dull because they have been
made dull and they are
vicious because they are
fearful of losing what they have.
the people are the biggest
horror show on earth,
have been for centuries.
you could be sitting in a
room with one of them
now
or with many of
them.
or you could be one
of them.
every time the phone
rings or there is a knock on
the door
I’m afraid it will be one of
the disgusting,
spiritually destroyed
useless
babbling
ugly
fawning
hateful
humans.
or worse, on picking up the
phone the voice I hear
might be my
own,
or upon opening the
door
I will see myself
standing there,
a remnant of the
wasted centuries,
smiling a
false smile,
having learned well,
having forgotten
what I am here
for.
-Charles Bukowski
Short Stories