No Lady Godiva by Charles Bukowski

she came to my place drunk
riding a deer upon the front porch
so many women want to save the worldbut can't keep their kitchen straight but me..
we went inside where i lit three red candles
poured wine, and i took notes on her
latitude behind, longitude in front and the rest amazing
a woman such as this could find a zenia and hot springs in arkansas
we ate venison for three weeks,
then she slept with the landlord to help pay the rent
then i found her a job as a waitress
i slept all the day
when she came home,
i was full of the brilliant conversation that she so much adored
she died quickly one night leaving the world much the way it had been
now i get up early and go down to the loading docks
wait for cabbages, oranges, potatoesto fall from the trucks or to be thrown away
by noon i have eaten and damn a sleep
dreaming of paying the rent with number of chunks of plastic
you should buy a better world

- bukowski, "crucifix in a deathhand", 1965 -