X V I I I

and in that moment
the old polish man
with no home
looked at me
dead on with
those grave eyes
and said

'lad
if you really
want to be
remembered
like truly
remembered -

then you must
abandon your mercies
bark at the world
refuse to dilute
your poisons
and be ruthless
with your aim

for it is only
the madness
that reaches
the lords feet
and makes his
pillars shudder
and tremble and
threaten to cave in

i know of
no other way'

i looked
back at him
said nothing
took another swig
of that local shit
and thought
long and hard
about whether
there was any
truth in that