What harm would there be
in my falling face down
into a plate of cocaine
if I create just one thing
something sublime, something
world-grabbing, something God-gilded?
If I do end up face down in a plate of blow,
ask why before you shake
your fandom-crippled head.
Maybe the Work took everything
out of me and I was just trying
to blow a hole into the chamber
to make refilling myself easier,
or doing the last horrible thing
relieved the pressure of knowing
I would never do a thing again
as wonderful
as the wonderful thing. Imagine
that Art stopped working,
and I hurt. (Truth is, the art
never really works; it just makes the cocaine
possible.) Maybe the last high
was the best joy I ever had
and I can finally kiss
the obsessions of Work goodbye knowing
you have the Work. Enough. I’m content.
To me it looks like no harm, no foul,
so stop waiting to see what my face looks like
when they gently lift my head.
You’ll not learn anything more from that frozen smile.

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