if you live in a closet with rats and
eat dry bread
they like you.
you’re a genius then.

or if you’re in the madhouse or
the drunktank
they call you a genius.

or if you’re drunk and shouting
obscenities and
vomiting your life-guts on
the floor
you’re a genius.

but get the rent paid up a month
in advance
put on a new pair of stockings
go to the dentist
make love to a healthy clean girl
instead of a whore
and you’ve lost your
soul.

I’m not interested enough to ask about
their souls.
I suppose I
should.

Charles Bukowski (excerpt from the poem ‘Soul’)