…I have a new story, "Bad Connection" up at 52/250 A Year of Flash, and also a poem, "Bukowski and Carver" at Calliope Nerve. Both are also here under "Words in Print."

…I've said how much I like Charles Bukowski. I'm currently reading his collection, "Love is a Dog From Hell" how's that for a title?) It's kind of a coincidence to be reading him and have a poem I wrote about him published in the same day. If he were alive, I doubt he'd be impressed.

Anyway, here's a poem of his--excerpted because it's long and also profane--that I really like. Enjoy:

"how to become a writer"

…if you have the ability to love
love yourself first
but always be aware of the possibility of
total defeat
whether the reason for that defeat
seems right or wrong--

an early taste of death is not necessarily
a bad thing…

get a large typewriter
and as the footsteps go up and down
outside your window

hit that thing
hit it hard

make it a heavyweight fight

make it the bull when he first charges in

and remember the old dogs who fought so well:
Hemingway, Celine, Dostoevsky, Hamsun.

if you think they didn't go crazy
in tiny rooms
just lik you're doing now

without women
without food
without hope

then you're not ready.

drink more beer.
there's time.
and if there's not
that's all right
too.