16 January 2006

Not yet 40, my beard is already white.
Not yet awake, my eyes are puffy and red,
like a child who has cried too much.

What is more disagreeable
than last night's wine?

I'll shave.
I'll stick my head in the cold spring and
look around at the pebbles.
Maybe I can eat a can of peaches.

Then I can finish the rest of the wine,
write poems 'til I'm drunk again,
and when the afternoon breeze comes up

I'll sleep until I see the moon
and the dark trees
and the nibbling deer

and hear
the quarreling coons.


Lew Welch (1926-71)

1 comment

Anonymous said...

I love that poem. One of my favorites. Also his great little "Ring of bone" lyric -- it takes the top of my head off everytime I read it.

J. Massey