Charles Bukowski is one of America's best-known contemporary writers of poetry and prose. This is the fourth of five new books of unpublished poems from one of the country's most influential and most imitated poets.

Charles Bukowski is one of America's best-known contemporary writers of poetry and prose. This is the fourth of five new books of unpublished poems from one of the country's most influential and most imitated poets.

another comeback

climbing back up out of the ooze, out of

the thick black tar,

rising up again, a modern

Lazarus.

you're amazed at your good

fortune.

somehow you've had more

than your share of second

chances.

hell, accept it.

what you have, you have.

you walk and look in the bathroom

mirror

at an idiot's smile.

you know your luck.

some go down and never climb back up.

something is being kind to you.

you turn from the mirror and walk into the

world.

you find a chair, sit down, light a cigar.

back from a thousand wars

you look out from an open door into the silent

night.

Sibelius plays on the radio.

nothing has been lost or destroyed.

you blow smoke into the night,

tug at your right

ear.

baby, right now, you've got it

all.