It All Comes Down to This

with the constant betrayal
of life at your back
it all comes down to this

for every angry fix
of television
religion
dope
sex
money
it all comes down to this

as buildings fall and madmen laugh
it all comes down to this

after the drinking
the fighting
the fucking
it all comes down to this

when the big fish eat the little fish
and the hyena laughs madly at the night
it all comes down to this

after the whores
the connections
the bill collectors
come screaming for pieces of your blood stained salary
it all comes down to this

when the end draws close
and the differences between us grow small
it all comes down to this

when all the hemingways of the world
release the safety catch
it all comes down to this

as the umbilicus is cut and new lungs draw air
it all comes down to this

after 20 years of bad marriage
bad luck
bad manners
bad habits
it all comes down to this

for every lunatic
with the dawning realization
that he is truly the illegitimate son of man
it all comes down to this

after giving half of your existence
to the suits and ties
licking up scraps and acting grateful
it all comes down to this

for every bullet
in every gun
in every punk's shaking hand
it all comes down to this

wearing bukowski's plaid shirt
a six pack of miller
a half dozen bong hits
and disc one of chet baker, the last great concert
it all comes down to this

when dharma stands before you
it all comes down to this

copyright Gato Clemente