for marilyn m. By: Charles Bukowski

now your night is darker than the candle’s reach and we will forget you, somewhat, and it is not kind but real bodies are nearer and as the worms pant for your bones, I would so like to tell you that this happens to bears and elephants. to tyrants and heroes and ants and frogs, still, you brought us something, some type of small victory, and for this I say: good and let us grieve no more; like a flower dried and thrown away, we forget, we remember, we wait. child, child, child, I raise my drink a full minute and smile.