Throwing Away the Alarm Clock by Charles Bukowski
My father always said, “early to bed and
early to rise makes a man healthy,
wealthy
and wise.”
it was lights out at 8 p.m. in our house
and wise.”
it was lights out at 8 p.m. in our house
and we were up at dawn to the smell of
coffee,
coffee,
frying bacon and scrambled
eggs.
eggs.
my father followed this general routine
for a lifetime
for a lifetime
and died young, broke,
and, I think, not too
wise.
and, I think, not too
wise.
taking note, I rejected his advice and it
became,
became,
for me,
late to bed and late
to rise.
to rise.
now, I’m not saying that I’ve conquered
the world
the world
but I’ve avoided
numberless early traffic jams,
numberless early traffic jams,
bypassed some
common pitfalls
common pitfalls
and have met some strange,
wonderful
people
people
one of whom
was
myself–someone my father
never
knew
was
myself–someone my father
never
knew
– Posted from my iPhone
