I met a guy the other day
told me he used to be a writer
said he was pretty **** god
but he burnt out
couldn't do it
anymore
it was too boring and pretentious
he said
told me he went to
law school and
married a girl
from money instead
bought a nice house in the suburbs
him and his new wife did
said he's been oh so
much happier now

I wanted to tell him
he was full of ****
that if you used
to be a writer
than you are still a writer
or you never were
--unfortunately
our curse is of the sort
that carries no vaccine--
it bursts from you
one way or another
from the day you enter
this earth till the day
you leave it
some take full advantage
some pretend
and some never even realize
but it's there
all the same

I wanted to tell this
sorry sucker
how I really felt about his
law degree
and his talk on
this and that
wanted to crack
him across the jaw
you ain't no writer
never have been
you're a ******* fake
took a lot of
restraint not to hit him
but instead I shook his hand
said congratulations
smiled
and complimented him
on his new mercedes