The thought hits me that I "could" someday
be a great writer and captivate audiences.
I "could" be brilliant.
I couldn't even claim my own success,
what with all these sycophants
eager to pull the rug from under me
and call it their own.
Being a musician made me a musician.
Being a writer made me a writer.
Being an artist made me an artist.
Everything else just happened,
and even if it was poignant,
none of you feeble minded ****** built me.
Remember that waking up is the last step,
and the rest is incidental.
If it all blows up in my face
you'll remind me whose hand
was in that bomb, happily.
If it tips and falls over harmlessly,
you'll want to tell me how much
your guidance meant to me.
I can't even claim my own success.