In honor of the Oscars, Bukowski offers "This"

I couldn't find this anywhere else online, so I thought I'd post it here. I think of this poem every year when the Oscars roll around. I don't think the celebs are as 'talentless' as Bukowski claims but I think he meant this as both serious critique and tongue and cheek.

This

by Charles Bukowski

self-congratulatory nonsense as the
famous gather to applaud their seeming
greatness

you
wonder where
the real ones are

what
giant cave
hides them

as
the deathly talentless
bow to
accolades

as
the fools are
fooled
again

you
wonder where
the real ones are

if there are
real ones.

this self-congratulatory nonsense
has lasted
decades
and
with some exceptions

centuries.

this
is so dreary
is so absolutely pitiless

it
churns the gut to
powder
shackles hope

it
makes little things
like
pulling up a shade
or
putting on your shoes
or
walking out on the street

more difficult
near
damnable

as
the famous gather to
applaud their
seeming
greatness

as
the fools are
fooled
again

humanity
you sick
motherfucker.