IF YOU ARE GOING TO TRY, GO ALL THE WAY
OTHERWISE DONT EVEN START.
THIS COULD MEAN LOSING GIRLFRIENDS,
WIVES, RELATIVES, JOBS –
MAYBE YOUR OWN MIND.
IT COULD MEAN NOT EATING FOR 3 OR 4 DAYS
IT COULD MEAN FREEZING ON A PARK BENCH
IT COULD MEAN JAIL
IT COULD MEAN DILUSION, DIVERSION
IT COULD MEAN MOCKERY, ISOLATION
ISOLATION IS THE GIFT
ALL THE OTHERS ARE A TEST OF
YOUR ENDURANCE OF HOW MUCH YOU
REALLY WANT TO DO IT.
AND YOU’RE DO IT -
DESPITE REGECTION IN THE WORST ODDS.
AND IT WILL BE BETTER THAN ANYTHING ELSE YOU
COULD IMAGINE.
IF YOU ARE GOING TO TRY, GO ALL THE WAY
THERE IS NO OTHER FEELING LIKE THAT.
YOU WILL BE ALONE WITH THE GODS
AND THE NIGHTS WILL FLAME WITH FIRE.
YOU WILL RIDE LIFE INTO PERFECT LAUGHTER.
IT’S THE ONLY GOOD FIGHT THERE IS.
-Charles Bukowski
